CEN 


AS 


T  H  E  U  P-TO-D  AT  E 
HARDWOOD  FINISHER 

IN  TWO  PARTS 

ILLUSTRATED 

PART  ONE 

GIVING  RULES  AND  METHODS  FOR  WORKING  HARDWOODS,  WITH  DESCRIP¬ 
TION  OF  TOOLS  REQUIRED,  THE  METHODS  OF  USING,  AND  HOW  TO  SHARPEN 
AND  CARE  FOR  THEM,  INCLUDING  SAWS,  PLANES,  FILES,  SCRAPERS, 
CHISELS,  GOUGES  AND  OTHER  WOOD-WORKING  TOOLS.  HOW  TO  CHOOSE 
HARDWOODS  FOR  VARIOUS  PURPOSES,  AND  HOW  TO  WORK  AND  PROPERLY 
MANAGE  VENEERS.  THE  PROPER  USE  OF  GLUE,  DIRECTIONS  FOR  PRE¬ 
PARING  GLUE,  BLIND  OR  SECRET  NAILING,  HOW  DONE  AND  HOW  FINISHED. 
HOW  TO  SHARPEN  AND  USE  SCRAPERS  OF  VARIOUS  FORMS,  WITH  ILLUS¬ 
TRATIONS  SHOWING  TOOLS  AND  HOW  TO  HANDLE  THEM  PROPERLY,  ETC. 

PART  TWO 

TREATS  ON  THE  FILLING,  STAINING,  VARNISHING,  POLISHING,  GILDING, 
ENAMELING  AND  FINISHING  ALL  KINDS  OF  WOODWORK.  IT  ALSO  TREATS 
ON  RENOVATING  OLD  WORK,  RE-POLISHING,  RE-VARNISHING  AND  WOOD 
FINISHING  GENERALLY.  THERE  IS  A  SHORT  TREATISE  ON  DYEING  WOODS 
IN  VARIOUS  COLORS  FOR  INLAYING  AND  MARQUETRY  WORK,  WITH  RULES 
FOR  MAKING  STAINING,  DYES,  FILLERS,  AND  POLISHES  OF  VARIOUS  KINDS, 
FRENCH  POLISHING,  HARD-OIL  FINISH,  RUBBED  AND  FLAT  FINISH,  TREAT¬ 
MENT  OF  HARDWOOD  FLOORS,  WAXING,  POLISHING,  SHELLACKING  AND 
GENERAL  FINISHING  OF  HARDWOOD  IN  ALL  CONDITIONS. 

By  FRED  T.  HODGSON,  Architect 

Member  of  Ontario  Association  of  Architects ,  Editor  of  “ National 
Builder ,”  and  author  of  the  “ Modern  Estimator  and  Contractors' 
Guide''  “ Modern  Carpentry “ Architectural  Drawing 

Self  Taught etc. 

IT 

CHICAGO 

FREDERICK  J.  DRAKE  &  CO.,  PUBLISHERS 

Copyright,  1904 
BY 

j.  Drake  &  Co. 


Frederick 


PREFACE 


Some  twelve  or  fourteen  years  ago,  I  prepared  a 
little  manual  on  “Hardwood  Finishing,”  which  became 
quite  popular,  and  to  some  extent  remains  so  up  to 
the  present  writing.  The  little  work,  however,  was 
far  from  complete,  and  I  have  been  asked  by  a  large 
number  of  woodworkers  to  extend  the  limits  of  the 
work,  or  to  reorganize  and  add  more  to  the  subject  of 
wood  preparation. 

After  considering  the  matter,  I  was  impressed  by 
the  latter  suggestion,  as  the  title  “Hardwood  Finisher” 
seemed  to  be  somewhat  misleading,  as  the  intention 
of  the  book  was  to  give  general  instructions  in 
finishing  woods  of  all  kinds — hard  and  soft — and  not 
only  making  them  ready  for  the  varnisher  and 
polisher,  but  also  to  instruct  the  workman  in  the 
latter  process  as  well  as  the  former.  I  have  therefore 
embodied  in  this  new  work  a  number  of  directions 
for  making  and  finishing  the  raw  wood,  making  it 
ready  for  the  finisher  or  varnisher  and  polisher;  and 
have  also  given  directions  and  formulae  for  mixing  the 
materials  and  applying  them  to  the  prepared  wood. 

It  goes  without  saying,  that  to  make  a  work  of  this 
kind  useful,  it  must  contain  much  that  has  been 
published  before,  and  much  that  is  taken  from  the 
workshop  and  from  the  experience  of  workmen, 
many  of  whom  have  given  me  their  own  methods  of 
working.  I  am  also  indebted  to  a  number  of  current 
journals,  such  as  “Carpentry  and  Building,”  “The 
National  Builder,”  “Scientific  American,”  “The 

5 


6 


PREFACE 


Carpenter,”  ‘‘The  Woodworker,”  ‘‘The  English 
Mechanic,”  ‘‘The  Painter’s  Gazette,”  and  several 
others,  to  whom  I  offer  thanks  for  such  matter  as  I 
have  made  use  of. 

While  the  present  work  may  not  be  as  complete  as 
it  might  be,  I  have  some  reason  to  think  it  very  much 
superior  to  any  work  of  the  kind  now  in  the  market, 
as  it  covers  more  ground,  and  deals  with  the  subject 
of  wood-finishing  in  a  more  extended  and  complete 
manner  than  any  other  work  devoted  to  the  subject 
that  I  know  of.  However,  be  this  as  it  may,  every 
effort  has  been  made  to  obtain  the  best  and  latest 
information  on  the  subject  and  to  put  it  in  such  a 
form  that  the  regular  every-day  workman  may  under¬ 
stand  what  is  intended  to  be  conveyed.  If  I  have 
failed  to  make  everything  clear  to  the  reader  it  is 
because  of  the  lack  of  ability  on  my  part,  not  because 
of  desire  to  do  so. 


Fred  T.  Hodgson. 


The  Up-to-Date  Hardwood  Finisher 

PART  ONE 

INTRODUCTORY 

Wood  is,  and  always  has  been,  one  of  the  most 
important  and  useful  materials  that  Dame  Nature  has 
vouchsafed  to  bless  humanity  with,  and  the  latter’s 
necessities  and  ingenuity  have  made  the  best  of  the 
circumstances. 

It  need  hardly  be  said  that  Nature  seemed  to  have 
well  understood  the  wants  of  her  children  and  pro¬ 
vided  for  them  in  a  most  liberal  manner,  for  it  is  said 
that  nearly  one-third  of  the  earth’s  surface  is  covered 
by  trees;  all  of  which  are,  in  some  form  or  another, 
contributory  to  the  wants  and  pleasures  of  man. 

The  introduction  of  machinery  for  the  rapid  working 
of  nearly  all  kinds  of  intricate  mouldings  and  shapes 
of  woodwork  has,  in  a  great  measure,  had  a  tendency 
to  elevate  the  taste  of  the  whole  community,  though 
I  must  confess  that  artistic  excellence  of  a  high  order, 
in  the  mechanical  arts,  is  now  scarcely  found  among 
our  younger  workmen,  machinery  having  almost  done 
away  with  the  necessity  for  the  fine  kinds  of  hand 
and  brain  work.  Fashion,  which  rules  despotically 
in  the  wardrobe,  influences,  to  a  greater  or  lesser 
degree,  the  style  and  finish  of  woodwork  and,  to  a 
certain  extent,  the  kind  of  wood  that  must  be  used  for 
certain  purposes.  Thirty  or  forty  years  ago  no  other 

7 


8 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


wood  than  clean  white  pine  would  be  permitted  to  do 
service  in  a  building.  All  woodwork  had  to  be  pine; 
floors,  doors,  windows,  even  to  the  bath  fittings. 
Then  Dame  Fashion  sent  forth  her  decree  and  a 
mixture  of  white  and  Southern  pine  was  used, 
followed  shortly  afterward  by  the  abominable 
mixture  of  ash,  walnut  and  chestnut.  Some  architect, 
who  deserves  well  of  his  country,  introduced  all 
walnut  and  all  mahogany  fitments;  and  at  once  people 
of  taste  who  saw  this  manner  of  finish  noticed  its 
superiority  over  the  medley;  and  the  fashion  then  of 
finishing  in  one  kind  of  wood  became  the  rage.  Wal¬ 
nut  was  found  too  dark  for  general  purposes  and  was 
soon  abandoned  for  the  lighter  woods;  chestnut, 
sycamore,  ash,  cherry,  birch  and  oak  were  then  tried, 
but  I  believe  I  voice  the  opinion  of  a  majority  of 
architects  when  I  say  that,  with  the  exception  of  oak, 
the  light-colored  woods  were  not  successful,  from  an 
aesthetic  point  of  view,  and  it  is  on  record  that  many 
buildings  finished  in  these  woods  have  since  had  their 
woodwork  cleaned  and  stained  to  imitate  darker 
woods  or  have  been  painted.  One  of  the  valuable 
qualities  of  white  oak  is,  that  it  grows  richer  in  color 
as  it  gets  older,  and  no  matter  how  it  is  finished,  so 
long  as  the  grain  is  visible,  it  mellows  and  improves 
with  age.  This  is  a  quality  that  no  other  of  our 
American  woods  possesses  in  the  same  degree.  All 
the  oaks  have  this  quality  to  a  certain  extent,  but  the 
white  oak  ( Quercus  alba)  possesses  it  more  than  any 
other.  Mahogany,  too,  has  this  quality  largely,  if 
true  Spanish  mahogany  is  used,  but  little  of  this  is  in 
the  market;  though  there  are  many  woods  that  have  the 
appearance  of  mahogany,  and  are  called  mahogany, 
such  as  cherry  and  black  birch,  and  both  buyer  and 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


9 


user  are  oftentimes  deceived,  and  pay  for  what  they  do 
not  get. 

Americans  have  often  been  reproached  with  will¬ 
fully  or  ignorantly  ignoring  or  destroying  their  own 
handsome  woods,  while  importing  from  abroad  at 
excessive  cost,  and  the  payment  of  heavy  duties, 
foreign  woods  which  are  much  inferior  to  many  of 
native  growth.  This  folly  prevailed  at  a  time  when 
it  was  fashionable  and  even  popular  to  believe  there 
was  no  merit  in  domestic  productions  of  any  sort. 
This  state  of  things,  however,  is  now  at  an  end,  and 
in  the  neighborhood  of  all  large  towns,  and  in  country 
places  as  well,  a  finish  in  hardwood  is  the  rule,  and  a 
finish  in  pine  the  exception,  if  the  building  to  be  fin¬ 
ished  makes  any  pretension  of  being  “up  to  the  times.’’ 

With  regard  to  the  difference  in  cost  between  a 
finish  in  the  best  clear  pine,  and  the  best  selected 
hardwood,  there  -is  really  but  little,  if  any,  if  we  take 
into  consideration  durability  and  good  taste.  As 
between  pine  wood  and  good,  well  finished  hardwood, 
the  disparity  in  value  and  merit  is  so  very  little  as  to 
completely  silence  any  comparison.  Between  poor 
pine  and  poor  hardwood  the  preference  should  be  by 
all  means  given  to  the  former;  because  poor  pine  as 
it  reveals  its  defects  can  be  puttied  and  painted  in  a 
manner  to  disguise  them;  whereas  the  defects  of  poor 
hardwood  are  almost  incurable.  The  rationale  of  the 
subject  seems  to  resolve  itself  into  the  following 
statement: 

Modern  taste  in  expensive  dwellings  calls  for  the 
free  use  of  hardwoods.  It  is  immaterial  which  are 
used,  but  highly  essential  that  the  best  seasoned  woods 
should  be  selected;  and,  further,  that  they  should  be 
skillfully  treated  and  finished, 


10 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


The  principal  recommendation  of  hardwood  is  that 
it  admits  of  a  treatment  which  renders  it  impervious 
to  the  effects  of  atmospheric  changes  and,  therefore, 
can  be  made  more  durable  and  ultimately  less  expen¬ 
sive  than  pine  wood.  A  hardwood  that  is  well 
seasoned  before  use,  that  is  treated  with  proper  fillers 
to  close  up  its  pores,  and  then  finished  with  successive 
coats  of  suitable  varnish,  well  rubbed  in  with  pumice- 
stone,  being  finally  brought  to  a  higher  flat  finish, 
presents  the  most  attractive,  serviceable  and  reliable 
style  of  woodwork  than  can  be  introduced  into  a  house. 
Well  finished  hardwood  obviates  the  expense  and 
annoyance  of  constant  renewals,  which  pine  work  calls 
for  in  patching,  puttying  and  painting.  The  most 
brilliant  gloss  of  finished  hardwood  can  be  restored  by 
a  skilled  person  without  disturbing  the  furniture  or 
carpets  of  a  house. 

Pine  work  seems  peculiarly  and  incomparably 
adapted  for  cheap  work.  A  good  article  of  common 
pine,  suitable  for  ordinary  work,  can  be  procured  and 
worked  at  considerably  less  expense  than  would  be 
involved  in  using  good  hardwood.  The  use  of  poor 
hardwood  in  any  work  should  not  be  tolerated  or 
thought  of  under  any  circumstances,  for  the  simple 
reason  that  it  is  certain  to  create  annoyance  and 
expense,  which  no  house-owner,  especially  of  moderate 
priced  property,  should  be  subjected  to. 

Pine,  however,  is  not  the  only  soft  wood  that  may 
be  used  in  house  finishing,  but  it  is  the  most  popular, 
because  the  most  plentiful  and  doubtless  the  most 
satisfactory  to  deal  with.  Basswood,  poplar,  elm, 
whitewood,  spruce  and  hemlock  all  make  fairly  good 
finishing  woods  when  properly  selected  and  properly 
treated;  but,  with  the  exception  of  elm,  perhaps,  all 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


ii 


of  them  require  to  be  either  painted  or  stained  before 
a  good  finish  can  be  obtained.  Elm,  black  ash  and 
chestnut  have  all  coarse  grain,  and  are  unsuited  for 
tasteful  work,  though  all  right  for  ordinary  fitments; 
and  indeed  may  be  used  for  kitchen  or  bathroom  finish 
in  fairly  good  houses.  Later  on  I  will  deal  with  each 
one  of  them,  and  some  other  of  our  native  woods  at 
length. 

The  present  methods  of  hardwood  finishing  are 
comparatively  new,  so  far  as  the  manner  of  operation 
and  materials  are  concerned;  as  I  can  find  nothing 
dating  farther  back  than  1850  in  the  vast  amount  of 
literature  at  my  command  that  treats  in  any  way 
intelligently  on  the  subject;  true,  there  are  methods 
of  varnishing,  lacquering  and  French  polishing  given; 
also  treatment  on  finishing  in  wax,  notably  a  small 
pamphlet  containing  a  treatise  on  “The  Shining  Up  of 
Woodwork,”  dating  as  far  back  as  1809,  and  published 
in  London.  This  little  treatise  is  the  first  to  make 
mention  of  a  wood-filler  being  employed.  The  author 
says  that  “the  pores  of  the  wood  ought  to  be  sealed  up 
with  a  mixture  made  of  ground  chalk  or  rotten  stone 
coloured  like  the  wood,  and  mixed  with  glue  water. 
Cover  the  work  to  be  shined  up  with  the  mixture,  then 
wipe  off  and  when  hard  and  dry,  smooth  off  finely 
with  shark-skin  and  hair-clothe.”  He  then  goes  on 
to  show  how  to  finish  in  wax  or  with  shellac,  as  the 
case  may  be.  He  says  nothing  of  French  polishing, 
but  gives  directions  for  varnishing  and  rubbing  down 
with  rotten  stone. 

To-day  there  are  quite  a  number  of  works  published 
on  wood-finishing,  which  shows  how  much  interest  is 
taken  in  the  subject. 

The  introduction  of  the  modern  methods  of  polishing 


12 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


finished  woodwork  has  so  reduced  the  cost  of  fine 
furniture  and  elaborately  finished  woodwork,  that  now 
the  poor  man  may  have  in  his  house  one  or  more 
pieces  of  finely  wrought  work,  as  well  as  the  man  of 
wealth.  French  polishing  was  a  costly  operation, 
and  made  more  costly  because  of  the  secrecy  sur¬ 
rounding  the  process.  Experts  were  bound  not  to 
teach  others  the  process  unless  they  were  well  paid 
for  it,  and  the  pupil  was  compelled  to  take  a  solemn 
oath  that  he  would  not  divulge  the  secret  or  convey  to 
others  the  method,  unless  he  was  paid  a  large  sum, 
often  as  high  as  $100.  French  polish  when  well  done 
is  certainly  a  fine  finish,  and  while  still  costly,  is  often 
employed  in  finishing  high-class  furniture  and  wood¬ 
work  in  costly  buildings,  but  its  general  use  is  rapidly 
falling  off;  yet  no  wood-finisher  is  completely  rounded 
off  unless  he  has  thorough  knowledge  of  the  best 
French  polishing,  and  in  the  present  work  I  purpose 
giving  a  thorough  description  of  this  method,  with 
illustrations  of  the  appliances  made  use  of  in  the 
process. 

While  it  is  not  my  intention  to  write  a  treatise  on 
the  useful  woods  of  America,  I  do  not  think  it  will  be 
out  of  place  to  describe  a  few  of  them,  showing  their 
manner  of  growth,  their  peculiarities,  durability,  and 
the  uses  they  can  be  put  to,  with  directions  for  working 
and  finishing  them. 

In  every  description  of  wood  the  elementary  com¬ 
position  of  the  organic  tissue  is  the  same,  but  the 
latter  is  found  associated  with  very  variable  organic 
elements,  according  to  the  species  of  the  tree. 

Pine  trees,  for  example,  contain  turpentine,  and  oak 
trees  tannin.  The  combustible  part  of  wood  is  this 
same  organic  tissue. 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


*3 


The  exterior  characteristics  of  woods  are  very 
different  from  one  another.  Thus  certain  wood  is 
soft  and  tender  and  of  a  loose  tissue,  whilst  another 
is  hard  and  of  a  compact  grain.  Thence  there  is  quite 
.a  natural  division  into  two  classes.  The  first  includes 
all  the  soft  and  tender  woods,  amongst  which  may  be 
mentioned  the  pines,  white  wood  or  plane  tree,  bass¬ 
wood,  poplar,  etc.  The  second  includes  all  the  heavy 
and  hard  wood,  such  as  the  oaks,  maples,  beech,  birch, 
cherry,  walnut,  etc. 

When  wood  is  first  cut  down  as  timber,  it  contains 
from  40  to  45  per  cent  of  water,  but  this  quantity 
gradually  lessens  until  it  is  said  to  be  thoroughly 
seasoned,  when  it  only  contains  from  5  to  7  per  cent. 
Moisture,  however,  is  always  present  in  wood,  and  as 
it  gets  older,  if  exposed  to  the  air,  will  take  in  from  10 
to  15  per  cent.  It  then  becomes  very  hydrometrical, 
and  loses  or  absorbs  water  according  to  the  state  of 
dryness  or  humidity  of  the  surrounding  air. 

The  density  of  wood,  like  that  of  all  porous  bodies, 
can  be  considered  in  two  different  ways,  and  can  be 
looked  for  under  its  apparent  volume.  The  only 
method  which  can  then  be  employed  consists  in  form¬ 
ing  a  block  of  the  wood,  the  volume  of  which  can  be 
easily  measured,  and  then  taking  the  weight  of  it. 
The  ratio  of  this  weight  to  that  of  the  same  bulk  of  water 
would  be  the  density  sought  for.  This  density  for  the 
same  wood  varies  according  to  the  degree  of  seasoning 
it  has  had,  and  to  the  form  and  position  of  the  fibers 
in  the  sample.  A  block  six  inches  square  cut  from 
a  knot,  or  burl,  or  a  cross-grained  part  of  a  tree,  would 
be  considerably  more  dense,  and  weigh  more,  than 
would  a  block  of  a  similar  size  cut  from  the  same  tree, 
if  it  was  straight-grained  and  uniform. 


14 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


It  is  the  density  of  the  harder  woods  that  makes 
them  popular  with  wood-finishers.  A  hard,  close- 
grained  wood  requires  little  or  no  filler,  and  offers 
better  opportunities  to  the  polisher  than  do  the  woods 
of  lesser  density. 

The  use  of  nearly  all  kinds  of  hardwood  in  the 
general  finish  of  good  houses,  has  completely  taken  the 
place  of  using  pine  or  other  soft  woods  in  wainscoting, 
floors,  doors  and  general  fitments.  The  variety  of 
the  woods  employed  in  these  finishings  has  greatly 
increased  within  the  last  few  years.  How  so  many  of 
these  beautiful  and  suitable  woods  could  have  fallen 
into  disuse  within  the  present  century  is  one  of  the 
decorative  mysteries  of  this  period.  Walnut,  which 
was  the  pioneer  of  the  new  departure,  still  remains  in 
use,  where  cost  is  no  object,  although  its  dull  color 
and  unpolished  surface  are  dingy  and  somber.  It  has 
had  its  use,  however,  in  directing  attention  to  the 
employment  of  solid  woods,  though  it  is  now  on  the 
retired  list.  Mahogany  is  at  present  in  high  favor,  the 
variety  known  as  San  Domingo  mahogany  being 
especially  rare  and  desirable.  When  new  it  has  a 
reddish  yellow  tone,  which  grows  dark  and  rich  with 
age.  The  old  wood  is  much  in  demand  for  use  in 
interior  finishings  and  for  furniture,  and  the  genuine 
old  pieces  are  highly  prized  by  their  possessors. 
Cherry  is  popular  for  common  use,  though  at  first 
falsified  by  the  red  stain,  which  destroyed  its  natural 
beauty  and  gave  it  no  artificial  excellence.  Unstained 
cherry  has  a  yellowish  brown  color,  polishes  well,  and 
is  excellent  for  interior  woodwork,  its  moderate  cost 
making  it  available  for  general  use,  though  now  getting 
very  scarce.  If  any  stain  is  required,  it  should  be  in 
the  dark  tones  resembling  mahogany  color. 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


15 


Black  birch  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  native 
woods,  having  a  grain  resembling  that  of  mahogany, 
and  taking  a  fine  satin-like  polish.  Unstained,  it  has 
a  warm,  rich  yellow  tone,  and  its  darkened  finish  can 
hardly  be  distinguished  from  the  more  costly  tropical 
wood.  Yellow  birch,  though  less  beautiful  and  costly, 
is  excellent  in  grain  and  color  and  is  often  used  for 
fine  floorings.  The  different  varieties  of  oak  are  well 
adapted  to  interior  uses,  the  wood  being  solid  and 
durable,  while  each  year  of  wear  adds  a  depth  and 
richess  of  color  and  a  smoothess  and  polish  to  its  dark 
surface.  It  has  a  beautiful  grain,  and  is  a  popular 
wood  for  interior  finishings  and  the  floors  of  modern 
houses.  After  centuries  of  wear  this  useful  wood  is 
found  in  the  houses  of  both  humble  and  royal  history 
as  black  and  smooth  as  ebony.  Butternut  resembles 
oak  in  color,  though  not  in  grain,  polishes  finely  and 
takes  a  carved  decoration  well,  and  ash  and  elm  are 
often  found  as  deceptive  substitutes  for  oak,  especially 
in  its  darker  or  so-called  antique  stains.  Rosewood  is 
one  of  the  most  beautiful  woods  in  use,  rich  and  deep 
in  tone  and  capable  of  a  mirror-like  finish.  It  is  costly 
enough  to  keep  the  merit  of  rarity. 

Apple  wood  carves  finely  and  polishes  well,  making 
excellent  panels;  so  also  does  the  wood  of  the  pear 
tree.  Maple  is  in  high  favor,  bird’s-eye  maple  being 
one  of  the  choicest  of  the  light-colored  woods,  and 
especially  suited  to  dainty  and  sumptuous  uses. 
Chestnut  and  ash  are  serviceable  and  inexpensive 
light  woods. 

As  these  woods  come  into  more  general  use,  their 
genuineness  and  elegance  giving  to  the  houses  in  which 
they  are  placed  one  of  the  strongest  assurances  of  that 
permanency  which  is  the  best  element  of  the  new 


i6 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


Renaissance,  they  will  be  more  and  more  enriched  with 
ornament.  And  here  it  will  be  difficult  to  avoid  the 
besetting  sin  of  abundant  means  and  inartistic  taste, 
which  unfortunately  are  so  often  found  in  company. 
The  honesty  of  material  and  the  uses  which  it  serves 
should  never  be  concealed  under  complex  decoration. 
Most  hardwoods  are  beautiful  enough  in  grain  and 
color  to  give  lasting  satisfaction,  and  for  every-day 
use  no  decoration  beyond  a  touch  of  good  carving 
should  be  applied.  Where  something  more  sumptuous 
is  sought,  carving  and  inlaying  will  make  them  elegant 
enough  to  satisfy  the  most  exacting  taste,  and  when 
properly  varnished  or  polished  no  other  method  of 
decoration  can  excel  it  in  beauty  or  refinement. 

I  have  deemed  the  foregoing  introduction  necessary, 
as  it  will  enable  the  workman  to  have  some  idea  of  the 
development  of  the  art  of  joinery,  and  the  transition 
from  the  use  of  pine  and  the  softer  wood  to  that  of 
the  hard  wood. 

In  the  following,  it  is  my  intention  to  take  each  of 
the  woods  most  in  use;  describe  them,  say  what  I 
think  they  are  best  adapted  for,  and  the  best  way  to 
finish  them,  as  far  as  my  knowledge  extends.  By  this 
means  the  reader  will  have,  under  one  head,  all  the 
book  contains  concerning  the  particular  wood  he  is 
about  to  finish. 

THE  BETTER  WOODS  TO  MAKE  USE  OF 

The  wood  most  made  use  of  at  the  present  writing 
for  interior  finish,  is  oak.  It  is  made  into  doors, 
sashes,  stairs,  base,  cabinet  cases,  and  wainscot. 

The  working  of  oak,  particularly  in  the  framing  up 
of  panel-work,  differs  somewhat  from  ordinary  pine  or 
other  soft  wood  panel-work,  inasmuch  as  the  latter  is 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


17 


generally  painted  and  picked  out  in  two  or  more  colors; 
thus  rendering  it  imperative  to  use  sound  stuff,  and  to 
have  the  work  above  suspicion.  The  material  is 
generally  so  thin  that  the  paneling  should  be  stiffened 
with  stout  canvas  glued  to  the  back,  which  is  often 
primed  with  red-lead  paint  to  afford  protection  from 


FiG.  t 


Fig.  2 


damp  when  the  work  is  to  be  placed  in  a  new  building. 
It  is  usual  to  frame  up  the  work  with  stuff  varying  in 
thickness  from  seven-eighths  of  an  inch  to  one  and  a 
quarter  inches,  finished  sizes.  In  some  workshops  it  is 
not  considered  necessary  to  clean  up  the  back  of  the 
work,  though  I  think  it  always  best  to  dress  down  the 


i8 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


joints  on  the  back,  and  true  it  up  with  plane  and 
straight-edge.  All  joints  should  be  close  and  perfect, 
and  tenons  and  mortises  should  be  in  the  center  of  the 
stuff,  and  all  should  be  well  glued 
together  and  left  to  dry  before 
fixing. 

The  panel-work  shown  in  Fig. 
i  is  framed  with  in.  stuff,  got 
to  thickness  and  widths  as  shown 
in  Fig.  2.  The  center  framing  is 
mitered  together  at  the  corners, 
which  are  further  strengthened  by 
the  insertion  of  a  cross-tongue 
joint,  while  the  side  rails  and  top 
and  bottom  muntins  are  tenoned 
and  pinned  like  all  the  other  ten¬ 
ons  in  the  framing.  The  moulding 
stuck  on  the  edges  (or  in  the  solid) 
is  not  mitered  in  the  same  way  as 
for  ordinary  work  (see  Figs.  3  and 
4);  but  the  mitered  corners  are 
worked  as  shown  in  Figs.  5 
and  6,  thus  forming  butt  joints 
with  mason-mitered  corners  to  all 
moulded  edges.  These  corners  are 
worked  on  the  bench  after  the 
paneling  is  glued  up  and  cleaned 
off. 

The  bottom  rail  is  tongued  into  the  skirting  as  shown 
in  Fig.  8,  and  the  top  rail  meets  the  festooned  frieze 
board  under  the  small  necking  mould  as  shown,  the 
frieze  board  being  tongued  to  the  dentiled  cornice 
also.  This  cornice  is-  double-dentiled,  one  row  of 
dentils  being  cut  farther  back  than  the  other,  as  shown 


Fig. 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


19 


in  Figs.  7  and  8.  As  usual  with  built-up  cornices,  this 
section  can  be  worked  on  the  four-cutter  moulder  or 
on  a  spindle  machine;  the  dentiling,  however,  being 


best  cut  by  hand.  A  cover-board  lies  at  the  back  of 
the  cornice,  which  is  back  rebated  to  receive  the  front 
edge  of  the  cover-board.  The  three  flutes  over  the 
top  muntins  have  rounded-out  top  ends,  and  finish  at 


20 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


the  bottom  on  a  splay;  whilst  the  festoons  are  pref¬ 
erably  cut  out  of  the  solid,  but  are  generally  planted 
on  unless  otherwise  specified. 

In  fixing  this  class  of  work,  which  is,  as  a  rule, 
screwed  up,  all  fixing  screws  should  be  hidden,  or  the 
holes  should  be  bored  to  take  “corks”  a  little  larger 
than  the  screw  head,  and  the  “corks”  should  be  cut 
from  wood  closely  matching  that  in  which  the  hole  is 
bored.  The  framing  must  be  fixed  as  true  and  upright 
as  possible  (especially  at  external  corners  where 
mitered  vertical  joints  occur),  and  be  well  scraped  and 
cleaned  down  after  the  fixing  is  done. 

The  illustrations  are  reproduced  to  the  following 
scales:  Figs.  I  and  2  are  three-eighths  of  an  inch  to 
the  foot;  Figs.  3  to  6,  half  full  size;  Figs.  7  and  8,  one 
and  a  half  inches  to  the  foot. 

While  it  is  not  the  intention  to  enter  into  the  sub¬ 
ject  of  joinery  in  this  work,  it  will  not  be  out  of,  place 
to  make  a  few  remarks  on  the  manner  of  doing  some 
odd  jobs  of  work  that  are  not  generally  discussed  in 
books  of  this  kind,  or  if  discussed,  are  not  done  so 
with  a  view  of  showing  how  the  wood  should  be  pre¬ 
pared  for  the  polisher.  The  examples  given  in  the 
foregoing  are  only  offered  as  an  illustration  of  how 
similar  work  should  be  prepared  when  made  from 
solid  wood.  Where  the  work  is  composed  of  material 
“built  up”  or  veneered,  the  manner  of  preparing  it  for 
the  finisher  may  be  very  different,  but  this  I  will  dis¬ 
cuss  later  on. 

Suppose  a  column,  or  a  pillar  or  spindle  is  required 
having  a  spiral  form1  unless  the  workman  is  well 
acquainted  with  tW  method  of  laying  out  spirals,  he 
will  be  up  against  a  proposition  which  he  will  find 
difficult  to  oolve.  To  meet  a  condition  of  this  kind,  J 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


21 


show  the  following  method  of  setting  out  such  work. 
This  example  is  intended  to  be  prepared  for  the  lathe, 
but,  of  course,  it  may  be  executed  without  the  aid  of 
a  lathe,  but  in  such  case  much  patience  and  skill  will 
be  required. 

The  sketch  Fig.  9  shows  the  method  of 
setting  out  the  twist  or  spiral.  First  turn 
the  wood  round;  then  divide  the  circum¬ 
ference  into  four  with  lines,  as  shown, 
marked  all  the  way  down.  Then,  having 
decided  on  the  size  of  your  twist — and  the 
same  details  apply  to  any  size  and  depth 
— mark  the  cross-lines,  and  then  the  diag¬ 
onals,  which  you  can  easily  do  with  a 
twist  of  the  leg  in  the  lathe,  and  both  sides 
as  shown  by  dotted  lines.  The  gouge, 
held  in  this  direction,  will  follow  the  re¬ 
quired  twist.  It  is  supposed  the  operator 
is  acquainted  with  lathe  work  to  some 
extent,  and  is  aware  of  the  methods  and 
appliances  made  use  of  in  turning  spirals, 
and  the  sketch  is  only  intended  to  instruct 
him  in  the  manner  of  laying  out  the  spiral. 

This  will  be  found  useful  even  in  work 
where  the  column,  etc.,  is  not  turned  in  a 
lathe,  but  is  wrought  by  hand. 

Handwork  of  almost  every  kind  in 
woodwork  is  rapidly  going  out  of  fashion  jrl0>  ^ 

— more  the  pity — but  now  and  again,  men 
are  found  who  ihsist  on  having  their  work  done  by 
hand,  and  it  is  well  that  every  joiner  should  know  how 
to  go  about  the  work  with  intelligence  when  such 
work  is  required.  With  this  idea  in  view*  I  give  here¬ 
with  a  few  instructions  and  illustrations  to  help  the 


22 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


workman  when  he  is  confronted  with  problems  such  as 
I  have  indicated. 

Often  dovetailing— an  almost  lost  art — has  to  be 
done  by  hand  on  some  particular  job  or  piece  of  work, 
and,  in  order  to  prepare  the  workman  for  this  pur¬ 
pose,  I  offer  the  following  instructions,  and  give  the 
accompanying  illustration,  which  I  think  will  materially 
aid  him  in  his  efforts. 

Dovetailing  to  a  great  many  young  workmen  proves 
a  pitfall,  yet,  when  the  method  of  laying  out  the  work 
is  once  understood,  it  all  seems  easy  enough.  A 
dovetail  joint,  if  made  properly,  requires  no  screws  or 
nails,  to  hold  it  together  or  to  bring  the  parts 
down  to  a  proper  joint;  but  in  order  to  attain  per¬ 
fection  there  are  one  or  two  points  which  must 
be  attended  to  when  making  this  kind  of  joint. 
First,  the  stuff  must  be  faced  up  properly,  using 
the  trying  plane,  on  the  flat  surface.  In  passing, 
I  will  just  mention  that  in  dovetailing,  whether 
boxes,  drawers,  or  whatever  is  being  made,  the  face 
side  is  always  the  inside ,  and  the  face  edge  is  the  bot¬ 
tom  edge. 

Another  point  which  is  often  neglected  is  to  put  in 
plenty  of  “pins”  or  dovetails.  A  very  good  rule  for 
ordinary  work  in  soft  wood  is  to  space  them  not  less 
than  ij^in.,  or  more  than  2^in.,  from  center  to  center; 
for  hard  wood,  or  for  small  work  in  thin  wood,  they 
should  be  spaced  closer  still. 

In  setting  out  the  pins,  or  rather  the  mortises  in 
which  the  pins  have  to  fit,  a  half  dovetail  should  be 
placed  at  both  top  and  bottom,  as  shown  in  Fig.  io, 
and  the  intermediate  “tails”  should  be  brought  to  an 
extreme  point  as  shown  at  B  in  the  drawings — that  is, 
if  neatness  is  an  object;  but  if  this  has  to  give  way  to 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


23 


Fig.  10 


strength,  then  "tails”  of  the  shape  shown  in  Fig.  II, 
should  be  used. 

The  bevels  of  the  "tails”  should  be  as  shown  in  the 
drawings,  and  in  no  case  should  they  be  shaped  as  at 
M,  Fig.  14.  If 
made  like  that, 
there  would  be 
great  danger  of 
the  sides  split¬ 
ting  off  at  E, 
and  although 
this  shape  at 
first  sight  would 
appear  to  be 
stronger  than 
the  other,  it  is 
really  not  so  in 
practice.  Also  if  one,  two  or  three,  or  even  more 
articles  of  the  same  size  are  being  made,  the  dove¬ 
tails  need  not  be  set  out  on  one  piece  only.  The 
whole  could  be  placed  together -in  pairs  as  shown  in 

Fig.  12,  and  the  marks 
squared  over  as  shown,  then 
screwed  in  the  vise  together, 
and  all  cut  at  once  with  a 
fine  tenon  or  back-saw,  first 
of  all  sawing  all  the  pieces 
off  to  exactly  the  same 
length. 

To  mark  the  pins,  screw  one  of  the  ends  upright  in 
the  bench  vise,  with  the  top  end  about  half  an  inch 
above  the  bench  top,  as  at  F,  Fig.  13,  taking  care  to 
keep  the  face  side  toward  the  bench.  Then  lay  one  of 
the  sides  on  it,  as  at  G,  so  that  the  squared-over  marks 


24 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


on  the  edges  of  G  coincide  with  the  inside  of  F,  as  at 
H.  With  the  front  end  of  the  same  saw  as  was  used  to 

cut  the  “tails," 
used  as  shown  at 
I,  mark  the  po¬ 
sition  of  each 
one  on  the  end 
grain,  and,  be¬ 
fore  removing 
the  side  board, 
number  each 
piece  as  shown 
in  the  figure  so 
that  it  is  known 
which  pieces  go 
together. 

All  four  corners  of  each  job  in  hand  must  be  done  in 
the  same  way,  unless  perhaps  the  work  is  for  drawers  or 
where  the  front 
only  is  required 
to  be  dove¬ 
tailed,  although 
particular  no¬ 
tice  must  be 
taken  that  the 
face  side  of  the 
vertical  piece 
must  be  towards 
the  bench,  and 
the  horizontal 
piece  under¬ 
neath;  and  in 

addition  remember  that  the  face  edges  of  both  pieces 
must  always  come  together.  These  are  the  edges  which 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


25 


Fig.  14 


must  be  kept  level  while  marking.  Neglect  of  these 
points  is  the  reason  of  failure  to  produce  good  work 
when  making  dovetailed  joints. 

In  cutting  the  “pins”  some  regard  must  be  paid  to 
the  kind  of  wood  being  used;  soft  pine  requires  more 
wood  left  outside  the  marks  than  oak  or  other  hard¬ 
woods,  but  tak¬ 
ing  ordinary 
work  in  any  of 
the  softer 
woods,  about  a 
sixty -fourth  of 
an  inch  clear  on 
each  side  of  the 

mark  will  be  ample,  leaving  rather  less  at  the  two  half 
dovetails  at  the  edges. 

I  should  have  stated  before  that  in  cutting  off  the 
stuff  for  the  ends  of  the  box  (or  whatever  is  in  hand) 
about  half  an  inch  extra  length  should  be  allowed,  and 
in  squaring  across,  this  extra  length  should  be  given 
to  the  pin  at  each  end,  to  be  cut  when  the  job  is  put 
together. 

Before  the  pins  are  sawed  down,  the  marks  on  the 

outside  (that  is, 
0  B  f  wherethey 

come  to  a  point) 
must  be  squared 
down  as  a  guide 

for  sawing  parallel  with  the  edges  of  the  boards.  This 
is  a  somewhat  important  part,  and  in  Fig.  14  I  have 
endeavored  to  show  how  they  should  and  should  not  be 
cut.  The  “pin”  K  is  parallel  from  point  to  heel,  and 
this  is  correct,  but  not  easy  to  manage.  The  “pin”  at 
L  is  cut  wedge-shaped,  larger  at  the  heel  than  at  the 


D 


Fig.  15 


26 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


point,  which  is  bad,  being  liable  to  split  the  boards, 
and  also  to  show  a  badly  fitting  joint  outside.  M  is 
cut  slightly  smaller  at  the  heel  than  at  the  point,  which 
is  a  good  fault — there  is  no  fear  of  splitting,  and,  unless 
overdone,  a  good  fitting  joint  will  result.  N  is  cut  out 
of  parallel,  which  is  the  worst  of  all,  and  must  on  no 
account  be  done. 

All  the  pins  being  cut,  the  spare  wood  must  be  cut 
out,  using  very  thin,  sharp  chisels.  Some  workers  use 
a  bow  saw  to  remove  the  spare  wood  between  the 
pins,  but  I  do  not  consider  it  any  advantage — the 
chisel  has  to  be  used  after,  and  it  is  quicker  to  remove 
all  the  wood  with  the  chisel  at  one  time. 

I  must  not  forget  to  emphasize  the  fact 
that  it  is  necessary,  in  setting  out,  to  use 
knife  or  chisel  for  all  cross  lines,  both  on 
the  sides  and  ends.  Pencil  will  not  do 
at  all,  if  good  work  is  expected. 

Before  putting  together,  each  “pin” 
must  be  slightly  pointed  on  all  three  sides, 
as  shown  in  Fig.  15,  so  that  they  will  enter  freely, 
without  bruising  the  wood. 

When  putting  together,  the  “pins”  should  be  well 
glued  and  the  sides  driven  on  at  once,  using  a  block 
which  is  large  enough  to -reach  quite  across  the  whole 
work.  If  this  is  omitted,  splitting  is  apt  to  result. 

I  have  not  touched  upon  putting  the  work  together, 
as  I  do  not  think  it  necessary,  because  when  the 
dovetails  and  “pins”  are  properly  cut,  they  will  be 
found  to  go  together  without  any  paring  or  cutting. 
Indeed,  dovetails  of  any  kind  requiring  fitting  before 
going  together  may  be  put  down  as  a  botch  job  and 
unfit  to  be  further  finished. 

In  this,  I  have  dealt  only  with  simple  work,  but 


U3 

Fig.  16 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


27 


there  are  other  kinds  of  dovetailing,  and  I  present 
several  of  them  below. 

In  the  figure  shown  at  17,  the  end  view  of  a  “lap 
dovetail”  is  represented,  a  style  which  is  well  known 
to  every  joiner  who  is  familiar  with  drawer  making. 
The  method  is  the  same 
as  described  as  regards 
the  sides,  but  the  ends 
of  the  front  are  gauged 
on  a  certain  distance, 
which  should,  if  possi¬ 
ble,  be  the  same  as  the 
thickness  of  the  sides, 
and  the  dovetails  are 
stopped  at  the  gauge  mark.  The  method  of  marking 
is  the  same  as  before,  and  the  only  difference  is 
in  cutting  the  “pin,”  which  has  to  be  done  largely 
with  the  chisel,  as  the  saw  can  only  be  used  to  start 

them  with. 

The  appearance  of  the 

“pins”  when  cut  is  shown  in 
Fig.  18,  and  those  who  can 
do  the  ordinary  dovetailing 
will  have  no  difficulty  in  mak¬ 
ing  the  “lap”  dovetail. 

In  Fig.  19  is  shown  what 
is  sometimes  called  “secret,” 
but  it  is  really  double  lap 
dovetailing.  One  part  is 

done  as  shown  in  the  figure,  making  the  mortise's 
the  same  size  as  the  pins,  and  cutting  them  as  shown. 
The  corresponding  member  is  worked  as  in  Fig. 

17,  the  necessary  marking  being  done  as  in  Fig.  13, 

and  marking  round  point,  then  cutting  them  out  with 


28 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


saw  and  chisel.  The  appearance  of  this  when  done  is 
shown  in  Fig.  20,  which  is  the  one  marked  A,  at  the 
side,  and  Fig.  21,  on  the  top  edges;  and  as  will  be 
readily  understood,  very  careful  work  is  necessary  in 


Fig.  19  Fig.  20 


order  to  make  a  good  job,  and,  presuming  this,  the 
joint  is  as  strong  as  the  ordinary  dovetail. 

By  mitering  the  top  edges,  as  in  Fig.  22,  the 
appearance  of  this  part  is  as  Fig.  23,  and  if  done 
properly  is  an  improvement.  It  does  not  add  much 
to  the  difficulty  of  making  the  joint. 

Secret  dovetailing  proper  is  a  difficult  job  for  any 
but  an  experienced  man  to  undertake,  but  I  will  deal 


Fig.  21  Fig.  22 

with  it  later  on  if  space  permits.  It  makes  a  good 
strong  joint  if  done  well,  and  the  appearance  is  the 
same  as  a  mitered  joint. 

Sometimes  the  end  of  the  drawers,  as  shown  in  Fig. 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


29 


Fig.  23 


23,  is  rounded  off  as  shown  in  Fig.  22,  and  when  such 
is  the  case,  the  drawer  projects  from  the  face  of  the 
framework  as  shown  by  the  dotted  lines. 

In  order  to  enable  the  workman  to  better  under¬ 
stand  the  whole  theory  of  dovetailing,  I  present  here¬ 
with  a  couple  of  sketches 
which  show  how  secret  lap 
dovetailing  maybe  executed 
in  several  ways.  Figs.  19 
and  24  show  how  the  pins 
and  mortises  are  laid  out 

when  the  pins  are  simply  no  more  than  a  square  tenon. 

Secret  lap  dovetailing  is  used  for  a  great  variety  of 
objects,  such  as  sewing  machine  covers,  instrument 
cases,  etc.  Where  the  dovetails  require  to  be  hidden 
it  is  not  so  important  that  the  joint  should  be  at  an 
angle,  as  the  corners  can  be  rounded  up  to  the  joint. 
The  difference  between  secret  and  plain  lap  dovetailing 
is  that  in  the  secret  method  the  pins  are  shortened 

and  the  dovetails  not 
cut  through,  as  shown 
in  Figs.  17  and  18,  and 
when  put  together,  in 
Fig.  22. 

Miter  dovetailing, 
Figs.  25  and  26,  is  a 
much  more  intricate 
operation,  and  calls 
for  greater  care  on  the  part  of  the  workman.  After 
carefully  planing  up  the  wood  to  a  thickness,  first 
gauge  on  the  Inside  only  the  thickness  of  the  lap  on 
the  end,  remembering  that  the  gauge  for  the  lap  will 
also  be  the  gauge  by  which  the  ends  of  the  pins  and 
dovetails  will  be  shortened,  as  shown  in  Fig.  27,  where 


Fig.  24 


30 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


the  dotted  lines  show  the  manner  in  which  each  piece 
must  be  rebated.  After  rebating,  cut  the  pins,  then 
mark  the  dovetails  and  chop  them  out,  after  which 
proceed  to  miter  the  laps  on  both  pieces  and  cut  the 


flitre  Dovetailing 


miter  across  the  edge,  and,  if  neatly  done,  the  joint 
will  go  together  at  the  first  trial. 

Bevel  or  splay  dovetailing  is  much  more  difficult 
than  any  of  the  preceding,  and  is  not  so  generally 
known.  The  required  bevel  being  given,  proceed  as 
follows:  First  joint  the  ends  to  the  required  bevel, 

then,  without  changing  the  angle,  joint  the 
bottom  edge  to  the  same  bevel  as  the  ends, 
working  from  the  inside.  Now  comes  the 
most  important  part  of  the  operation.  The 
ends  must  be  beveled  on  the  thickness  of 
the  wood.  This  is  obtained  by  laying  the 
blade  of  the  square  on  the  beveled  bottom 
edge,  then  shooting  the  ends  to  the  square, 
Fig.  27  working  still  from  the  inside  of  the  wood. 

If  this  part  is  omitted,  the  result  will  be 
that  when  the  job  is  put  together  it  will  be  not  only 
open  on  the  inside  but  will  not  be  level  on  the  out¬ 
side — more  or  less,  according  to  the  angle  of  the 
sides.  Gauge  on  the  thickness  of  the  wood  as  for 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


31 


plain  dovetailing.  In  cutting  the  pins,  a  center  line 
through  these  should  be  parallel  with  the  bevel  of  the 
bottom  edge  as  shown  in  Fig.  28,  and  not  cut  square 
to  the  inside  of  the  job  as  in  plain  dovetailing.  If 
this  be  neglected,  and  the  angle  is  much,  the  dove¬ 
tails  will  be  cut  across  the  grain,  and  have  no  strength. 
After  marking  the  pin  with  a  marking  point,  before 
cutting  the  dovetails,  mark  them  across  the  ends  also, 
parallel  to  the  bevel  of  the  bottom  edge  as  in  Fig.  29, 

Bevel  /dovetailing 


and  cut  accordingly.  I  would  strongly  advise  the 
workman  who  has  never  made  a  bevel  dovetail  to  try 
it  upon  two  pieces  of  wood,  as  more  will  be  learned 
from  a  little  practice  when  the  difficulties  have  to  be 
surmounted  than  from  any  amount  of  study. 

The  illustrations  shown  in  Figs.  30  and  31  will 
convey  to  the  reader  a  better  idea  of  lap  and  miter 
dovetail  than  the  previous  ones.  Fig.  30  shows  the 
finished  corner,  the  face  of  the  work  being  shown  at 
F.  This  may  be  rounded  off  if  it  is  so  desired.  Fig. 
31  shows  a  corner  all  ready  to  be  driven  together, 
which  will  have  a  mitered  lap.  AA  shows  both  front 
and  side;  the  shaded  laps  show  the  miters. 

Another  style  of  bevel  dovetailing  is  shown  in  Fig. 
32,  where  the  pins  are  at  right  angles  with  the  line  of 


32 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


slope  as  shown  at  AA  and  BB.  This  style  of  dove¬ 
tailing  is  well  adapted  for  trays,  hoppers  and  similai 
work.  All  stuff  intended  to  be  used  in  bevel  or 
splayed  work,  that  is  to  be  dovetailed,  must  be  pre  ¬ 
pared  with  butt  joints  before  the  dovetails  are  laid  out. 
Joints  of  this  kind  may  be  made  common,  lapped  <■! 


mitered.  In  making  the  latter,  much  skill  and  labor 
will  be  required. 

In  making  veneered  doors  there  are  a  number  of 
different  methods  practiced  by  workmen,  but  it  is  not 
in  the  province  of  this  work  to  describe  them  all,  or 
indeed,  any  of  them  at  great  length,  but  when  a 
number  of  veneered  doors  are  to  be  made  at  one  time, 
the  following  method,  which  is  adopted  in  some  large 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


33 


factories,  may  offer  some  suggestions  that  may  be 
found  useful: 

The  first  operation  is  to  take  common  coarse  white 
pine  boards,  with  sound  knots,  and  which  have  been 
well  kiln-dried,  the  stock  used  being  generally  16  feet 
long,  Ixi2  inches,  and  surface  it  on  both  sides  by  a 
Daniels  planer  without  regard  to  thickness.  Some 
boards  are  thinner  than  others,  while  others  are 
warped  in  drying,  and  the  thickness  of  the  boards  is 


Fig.  32 


immaterial,  perfectly  seamed  surfaces  only  being 
necessary.  After  the  stock  is  planed  it  is. cut  into 
such  lengths  as  the  bill  of  doors  calls  for.  They  are 
ready  now  to  be  glued  up.  The  face  board,  of  what¬ 
ever  hardwood  is  to  be  used,  is  planed  generally  to  ^ 
inch  thick,  and  is  also  run  through  a  Daniels  planer. 
The  stock  is  now  ready  to  go  to  the  gluing  press,  and 
as  the  Daniels  planer  makes  the  best  gluing  surface  in 
the  world,  no  scratch  planing  is  needed.  After 
properly  heating  in  a  box  the  stock  is  brought  out  and 
carefully  glued,  the  hardwood  face  parts  being  marked 
for  it.  From  three  to  five  parts  are  put  in  the  press  at 


34 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


one  time,  and  a  pressure  of  20  tons,  brought  down  b> 
screws,  is  put  upon  these  parts.  After  remaining  in" 
the  press  the  proper  time  they  are  taken  out,  and 
generally  remain  several  days  before  being  worked  up, 
which  gives  the  glue  plenty  of  time  to  harden.  When 
ready  to  work  again  these  parts  are  taken  to  a  Daniels 
planer  and  squared  up,  after  which  the  parts  are  taken 
to  a  very  nice  cutting  table  or  bench  saw,  and  are 
cut  up  to  sizes  required,  leaving  them  inch  large 
for  future  dressing.  It  is  a  positive  necessity  that  the 
saw  cuts  free  and  clear,  as  heating  has  a  tendency  to 
warp  the  stock  or  spring  it  slightly,  which  would  make 
it  necessary  to  dress  the  stuff  again.  If  the  saw  does 
not  heat,  the  stiles  come  out  perfectly  straight,  and 
these  stiles  can  be  laid  on  a  Daniels  planer  bed  and  a 
light  shaving  taken  off.  They  are  now  straight,  and 
if  the  saw  table  is  in  good  condition,  square;  the  other 
side  may  be  finished  with  pony  planer  or  with  a  Daniels. 
A  Daniels  is  preferred,  because  it  makes  a  better  gluing 
surface.  The  work  is  now  ready  for  the  veneering, 
the  thickness  of  which  is  immaterial,  as  it  may  vary 
from  the  thickness  of  thin  paper  to  inch.  Heated 
cauls  are  now  used  for  the  veneer,  and  the  stiles,  if 
heated  at  all,  are  just  warmed  and  the  veneer  glued  on 
by  piling  up  with  a  hot  caul  between  each  stile.  The 
old-fashioned  way  of  making  veneered  doors  may  do 
very  well  when  only  two  or  three  doors  are  to  be  made, 
but  In  these  days  of  sharp  competition,  manufacturers 
are  obliged  to  adopt  the  quickest  methods  compatible 
with  efficiency  and  good  finish. 

The  doors  or  other  work — for  this  method  will  apply 
to  wainscot  or  any  similar  work — should  be  placed  in  a 
dry  room  for  a  day  or  two,  when  they  may  be  finished 
up  and  made  ready  for  the  polisher  or  varnisher. 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


35 


If  first-class  doors  are  required,  it  is  always  better  to 
b-uild  up  the  stuff  for  the  stiles  and  rails,  and  glue 
them  together  before  they  are  veneered.  A  white 
pine  door  is  about  the  only  door  that  can  be  made 
successfully  from  solid  wood.  In  a  house  with,  say,  a 
dozen  doors,  what  other  wood  is  there  that  will  abso¬ 
lutely  hold  its  place  during 
a  reasonable  period?  Cer¬ 
tainly  yellow  pine  will  not 
do  it.  A  solid  oak  door  is 
a  pest,  and  should  not  be 
put  in  a  house  except  un¬ 
der  written  instructions. 

Sycamore  cannot  be  used 
solid, and  certainly  neither 
gum  nor  maple.  Possibly 
walnut  or  butternut  might, 
but  who  would  think  of 
using  them  under  present 
conditions? 

The  door  shown  in  Fig. 

33  is  an  illustration  of  one 
of  the  most  serviceable 
doors  made.  The  section  ; 
of  stile  shown  in  Fig.  34 
will  give  an  idea  of  the 
manner  in  which  the  stiles  and  rails  are  built  up;  the 
veneer  showing  on  the  outside,  also  the  panel. 

Work  of  this  kind  may  be  used  outside  as  well  as 
for  inside,  and  no  one  need  fear  unpainted  white  pine 
or  oak  for  outside  work.  There  is  in  Europe  abundance 
of  woodwork,  exterior  and  interior,  that  has  not  been 
tickled  by  a  brush  in  over  five  hundred  years.  All  the 
native  Swiss  cottages  are  unpainted  on  the  exterior. 


Fig.  33 


36 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


All  of  the  half-timber  houses  of  France,  no  matter 
how  richly  decorated  by  the  great  artists  of  the  chisel, 
are  unpainted,  and  we  have  known  of  work  in  white  pine 
and  quartered  white  oak  without  the  use  of  paint  which 
has  been  inexistence  for  centuries  untouched  by  paint, 
and  time  justified  the  experiment.  Nothing  is  more 
beautiful  than  the  natural  grain  of  the  wood  and  its 
natural  weathering  under  a  proper  transparent  finish. 
It  takes  some  courage  to  organize  and  push  through 
an  innovation  of  this  kind,  and  one  is  beset 
by  many  warnings,  but  the  beautiful  result 
justifies  the  effort. 

The  following  method  of  making  veneered 
doors  was  described  by  H.  T.  Gates  in  “The 
Woodworker”  some  time  ago.  It  wilj  doubt¬ 
less  be  found  of  much  benefit  to  workmen 
employed  in  factories  where  veneered  doors 
are  made  in  quantities.  The  hints  and  sug¬ 
gestions  are  to  the  point,  and  the  instruc¬ 
tions  are  clear  and  may  be  readily  under¬ 
stood.  The  subject  of  veneered  doors  is 
one  that  has  often  been  discussed  of  late 
and  much  light  on  it  has  been  thrown,  yet  it  will 
not  suffer,  if  the  subject  is  again  brought  forward, 
inasmuch  as  the  various  factories  have  particular  ways 
of  their  own  of  producing  this  rapidly  growing  popu¬ 
larity  in  the  door  line.  Instead  of  trying  to  lay  down 
any  fixed  rule,  saying  thus  and  so  shall  they  be  made, 
let  us  consider  some  of  the  essential  points  which  may 
be  adapted  to  suit  each  condition  as  the  manufacturer 
finds  it. 

I.  Equipment. — Aside  from  the  usual  door-making 
machinery,  this  consists  of  larger  facilities  for  preparing 
and  applying  glue,  veneer  press,  resaw  for  veneers  and 


Fig.  34 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


37 


panels  (unless  they  are  purchased  from  a  dealer  in 
veneers),  a  warm  room  where  the  glue  may  be  applied 
and  material  gotten  ready  for  the  press.  Unless  the 
factory  is  already  supplied  with  a  large  kettle  for 
preparing  glue,  it  will  be  found  of  advan¬ 
tage  to  make  a  large  copper  kettle  that 
will  fit  the  holes  in  the  heater,  but  large 
enough  to  hold  three  or  four  ordinary¬ 
sized  kettles  of  liquid  glue.  This  can  be 
done  by  making  it  higher  and  wider  about  Fig  35 
the  flange,  as  shown  in  Fig.  35.  In  this 
way  sufficient  glue  may  be  made  ready  for  a  good-sized 
batch  of  doors  without  fear  of  running  out. 

Of  course,  these  remarks  do  not  apply  to  the  factory 
having  modern  glue-spreaders,  hand  or  power-feed, 
which  are  very  essential  in  strictly  veneer  establish¬ 
ments.  Our  remarks  apply  only  to  the  shop  where 
veneered  doors  are  one  of  the  many  by-products,  so 
to  speak,  which  accompany  the  usual  line  of  mill 
work. 

For  spreading  the  glue  by  hand,  procure  a  4-inch  flat 
wall  brush  and  prepare  it  by  pouring  alcohol  gum- 
shellac  into  the  roots  of  the  bristles,  and  driving  blind 
staples  into  the  butt  end,  as  close 
together  as  possible,  thus  preventing 
the  bristles  from  coming  out.  Have 
a  pair  of  “horses”  about  3  feet  high, 
strongly  made,  and  having  an  angular 
piece  on  the  top,  to  prevent  waste  of 
the  glue,  and  squeezing  it  off  the  work 
at  the  bearing  point — see  Fig.  36. 

Make  the  veneer  press  wide  enough  between  the 
uprights  to  permit  of  veneering  a  table  top  or  wide 
panel  if  needed,  and  have  two  rows  of  screws,  so  that 


33 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


two  stacks  of  cores  may  be  pressed  at  one  time.  A 
strong  press  can  be  made  with  6x6-inch  maple 
cross-pieces  and  ^6-inch  round  iron  rods,  with  jambnuts 
to  hold  the  upper  piece  in  place,  having  regular 

veneer  press  screws  at 
least  I3yi  inches  diam¬ 
eter.  The  bedpiece 
should  be  lagged  up  and 
trued,  so  that  it  will  be 
straight  and  out  of 
wind.  To  prevent  the 
work  from  sticking  to 
'•the  bed,  it  should  be 
covered  on  the  top  with 
zinc  or  tin — see  Fig.  37. 

For  resawing  veneers 
and  panels,  where  there 
is  no  band  resaw,  a 
gauge  (P  ig.  38)  and  pressure  roller  (Fig.  39)  used  on 
the  band  saw  table,  and  ij^-inch  saw  in  proper  trim, 
with  right  management  should  turn  three  or  four 
veneers  out  of  inch  stock,  which  may  be  applied  direct 
to  the  coring  without  dressing,  as  described  later  on. 

To  do  a  good  job  of  gluing  to  advantage  it  is 
necessary  to  have  a  warm 
room,  so  that  a  large  batch 
of  material  may  be  worked 
at  one  time.  There  are  va¬ 
rious  other  purposes  to  which  Fig  38 

this  room  may  be  put,  but 

to  make  a  veneered  door  properly,  without  waste 
material  or  lost  time,  a  warming  room  is  very  essen¬ 
tial.  First,  the  parts  of  wood  to  be  glued  must  be 
thoroughly  warm;  also  the  temperature  of  the  room 


6x6  Map/e 


tot 


Bed 


1  'Screws 


Tin  Cov, 


6x6  Maple 

Ten - 77777 - nr 

£nd  View 

Fig.  37 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


39 


where  the  work  is  to  be  done  must  be  such  as  not  to 
chill  the  glue  and  hinder  its  spreading  and  making 
good  joints. 

It  is  taken  for 
granted  that  our  fac¬ 
tory  has  a  hand  jointer, 
pony  planer,  mortiser, 
tenoner,  sticker,  door 
clamp  and  drum  Sand¬ 
er.  It  is  a  question  whether  veneered  doors  can  be 
profitably  made  without  the  few  essentials  here  enumer¬ 
ated,  and  where  they  are  made  in  quantities,  special 
machinery  for  spreading  glue,  cutting  mouldings, 
presses,  clamps,  panel-raisers,  etc.,  will  be  needed. 

II.  Materials. — Dry  coring  is  the  first  thing  that  is 
required  to  make  good  doors.  It  is  usual  to  cut  up  the 
material  and  put  it  in  the  dry  (or  warm)  room  referred 
to  above,  or  in  a  dry-kiln,  properly  stacked,  and  leave 
it  there  as  long  as  possible  to  drive  out  every  par¬ 
ticle  of  dampness.  All  waste  material  of  suitable 
size  and  too  poor  to  be  used  for  any  other  pur¬ 
pose  may  be  used  for  coring.  It  is  preferable  to 
have  the  strips  wide  enough  so  that  when 
Sotv  Slued  UP  they  may  be  split  through  the 
Cut  center  to  make  two  stiles  or  rails — see 
Fig.  40 — thereby  saving  much  labor  in 
Fig  40  gluing,  which  item  cuts  quite  a  figure  in 
veneered  door  work.  The  stock  sawyer 
can  lay  aside  such  material  from  time  to  time  and  have 
it  stored  as  mentioned,  so  that  there  is  a  supply  of 
dry  stuff  to  draw  on  when  a  batch  of  doors  is  wanted. 

The  glue  for  coring  need  not  be  of  high  grade,  and 
where  quick  preparation  is  desired,  a  ground  or 
pulverized  bone  glue  will  answer  the  purpose  admi- 


40 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


rably.  The  men  soon  become  accustomed  to  handling 
the  glue  and  it  needs  no  soaking,  as  the  flake  or 
noodle  glue  does.  For  veneering  a  medium  grade  of 
hide-stock  glue  is  to  be  preferred;  one  that  is  free  from 
acid,  clear  in  color,  and  not  too  quick-setting.  It  will 
pay  to  follow  up  the  glue  question  more  closely  than 
we  usually  have  done  to  obtain  good  results  with 
economy.  The  glue  for  veneering  does  not  want  to 
be  too  thick.  Practice  in  the  work  makes  the  work¬ 
man  proficient  in  its  preparation.  It  should  flow  freely 
from  the  brush  without  being  “tacky,”  as  the  painter 
would  say. 

The  veneers  and  panels  should  be  cut  up  and 
resawed  before  they  are  kiln-dried.  The  ends  should 
be  glue-sized,  and  they  should  be  stacked  straight  and 
even  in  the  kiln.  Those  who  have  tried  resawing  kiln- 
dried  hardwoods,  are  aware  of  what  a  sorry  job  it 
.makes;  and  how  the  veneers  buckle,  spring  out  of 
shape,  pinch  the  saw  or  make  it  run  crooked.  When 
the  saw  has  not  too  much  set,  the  veneers  may  be 
glued  onto  the  cores  wilhout  planing,  provided  the 
sawing  is  a  good,  smooth  job.  Care  must  be  taken 
in  dressing  veneers  or  panels,  not  to  chip  them  out,  as 
that  is  ruinous  in  this  class  of  work. 

III.  Construction. — The  man  who  is  doing  this 
work  needs  to  be  familiar  with  the  work  and  its 
methods  to  do  it  well  and  economically.  Filling  the 
doors  is  the  first  work  towards  the  desired  end.  A 
list  of  the  size,  style,  thickness  of  doors  and  kinds  of 
wood  should  be  on  each  working  bill,  and  follow  the 
material  in  its  progress  out  of  chaos  into  stiles,  rails, 
panels  and  finally  the  finished  product.  This  bill 
should  include  the  edge  strips,  the  width,  length  and 
thickness  of  each  bundle  of  cores,  the  finished  size  of 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


4i 


the  parts  they  are  intended  to  make,  and  the  number 
and  both  the  sawing  and  finished  size  of  veneers  and 
panels. 

After  the  sawyer  has  the  material  cut,  and  it  is 
thoroughly  dry,  the  one  who  does  the  gluing  assembles 
the  cores,  puts  them  on  the  heating  coil  and  prepares 
his  core  glue;  the  pieces  are  spread  on  the  horses  and 
given  a  coating  of  glue,  assembled  in  batches,  and  put 
into  the  press,  the  surplus  glue  being  squeezed  out  by 
this  process,  which  includes  putting  the  edge  strips 
on  each  stile  requiring  one. 

After  they  have  been  allowed  to  set  sufficiently, 
they  are  taken  to  the  jointer  and  the  straightest  side 
trued  up.  If  they  are  built-up  for  making  two  pieces, 
they  are  resawed  and  again  jointed  and  thickened  to 
desired  size  on  the  pony  planer. 

They  are  now  ready  for  veneering.  They  are  again 
put  in  the  warm  room  over  the  coils;  when  warm, 
they  are  put  on  the  horses  as  before,  and  spread  with 
glue  on  both  sides;  a  bottom  board  is  first  laid  and 
then  the  veneers  and  cores  stacked  in  regular  order. 
The  veneers  must  previously  be  carefully  looked  over, 
poor  ones  culled  out,  and  any  pin  holes,  porous  spots 
or  checks  covered  by  gluing  a  piece  of  paper  over,  to 
prevent  two  stiles  from  being  stuck  together  by  glue 
oozing  through  such  spots.  They  are  again  pressed 
out,  and  when  dry,  trued  and  sized  to  width.  They 
are  now  ready  to  be  laid  out,  same  as  any  blind-tenon 
door. 

The  framing  must  be  done  in  a  first-class  manner, 
with  true  joints  and  tight  tenons.  In  fact,  all  machine 
work  on  veneered  doors  must  be  carefully  done  to 
hav'e  true  work  and  tight  joints. 

Instead  of  putting  the  panels  in  when  the  doors  are 


42 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


put  in  the  clamps,  the  framework  is  glued  together 
with  open  panels,  the  stiles  and  rails  being  grooved, 
and  after  the  doors  are  polished  and  put  on  the 
finishing  bench,  a  panel  strip  is  put  in  all  around  the 
edge  of  each  panel,  to  which  the  panel  mould  is  glued 
and  nailed.  The  moulding  is  put  in  one  side  first, 


panels  laid  in,  and  moulded  the 
other  side,  as  shown  in  Fig.  41. 
This  arrangement  prevents  the 
moulding  from  pulling  away 
from  the  stiles,  should  the  pan- 


Fig.  41 


els  shrink,  and  allows  enough  play  for  the  panels  to 
keep  straight  with  the  natural  working  of  the  wood 
in  the  changes  of  the  atmosphere.  There  is  advantage, 
too,  in  gluing  up  the  framework  without  the  panels. 
This  cannot  be  done  in  the  case  of  solid  moulded  doors. 

The  finish  of  a  veneered  door  should  be  first-class; 
the  panels,  moulds  and  framework  well  sandpapered, 
and  flat  surfaces  scraped  smooth,  as  every  defect  seems 
magnified  when  the  filler  and  varnish  are  applied. 

Special  care  should  be  taken  not  to  scrape,  scratch 
or  mar  the  face  of  the  doors  in  shipping.  Many  a 
good  door  has  been  injured  by  careless  packing  or 
handling  in  shipping,  after  the  cabinetmaker  has 
finished  his  job.  They  should  be  crated,  if  shipped 
on  a  railroad  or  by  boat,  or  they  will  not  be  worth 
much  on  arrival  at  their  destination. 

Wedged  Doors. — The  day  of  the  wedged  door  has 
passed,  and  all  modern-built  houses  contain  what  is 
known  to  the  trade  as  “blind-tenon  doors.’’  The 
“dowel"  door  is  practically  a  blind-tenon  door.  In 
plants  where  a  set  of  dowel  door  machinery  has  not 
been  installed,  the  problem  of  making  these  doors 
presents  itself. 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


43 


The  advantages  of  this  door  are  the  saving  of  lumber 
on  the  rails,  of  time  in  laying  out  all  stiles  both  sides 
and  mortising  them  from  both  sides,  the  neat  appear¬ 
ance  of  the  stiles,  especially  on  natural-finished  work, 
and  the  ease  with  which  they  may  be  glued  together. 

Several  points  must  be  kept  in  mind  in  order  to 
secure  success.  Let  the  stock  sawyer  cut  all  raih 


exact,  so  the  tenon  will  not  touch  the  bottom  of 
mortise  before  the  shoulder  is  tight  ' at  the  coping. 
The  tenons  should  fit  more  snugly  both  sides  and 
endways  than  in  the  old  way,  to  hold  well  and  make 
tight  joints  on  the  muntins.  The  glue  should  be 
applied  to  the  mortise  in  such  a  way  that  it  reaches 
the  tenon,  as  well  as  the  shoulders  of  rails  and  stiles, 
to  make  a  strong  job  of  the  gluing. 

The  cleaning  out  of  chips  from  the  mortise  has  been 
a  difficult  problem,  and  it  is  not  yet  solved  satis¬ 
factorily.  Chain-saw  mortises  obviate  this,  but  they 
have  their  faults,  too.  The  “lip”  chisels,  Fig.  42, 
clear  out  the  loose  chips,  but  leave  the  fine  chips  that 
are  pounded  down  by  the  action  of  the  chisel,  to  be 
removed.  In  order  to  do  this,  a  long  S-shaped  chisel 
with  large  wooden  handle,  Fig.  43,  is  used.  The 
blade  is  j^-inch  wide,  and  tapers  from  o  at  the  cutting 
edge  to  Y  or  j^-inch  at  the  handle. 

This  is  a  slow,  laborious  job.  An  easier  method  is 


44 


THE  UP  TO-DATE 


to  use  a  twist  drill  bit  in  a  horizontal  boring  machine, 
leaving  the  arbor  in  a  fixed  position  and  moving  the 
stiles  back  and  forth,  both  lengthwise  and  sidewise, 
by  hand.  The  bit  should  not  be  quite  as  large  as  the 
mortise,  so  as  not  to  enlarge  it  and  make  the  tenons  fit 


Fig.  43 


too  loosely.  Straight-flute  bits,  double-pointed  bits, 
flat  pieces  of  steel  sharpened  on  edges  and  points,  and 
various  other  patterns  of  cutters  have  been  tried,  and 
drills  give  the  best  satisfaction;  only,  they  are  easily 
broken. 

The  doors  should  be  framed  and  stood  in  a  hot  room 
for  about  a  week,  to  dry  out.  When  ready  to  glue 
together,  they  are  warm  and  do  not  chill  the  glue  as  it 
is  applied.  The  kind  of  glue  has  much  to  do  with  the 
rapidity  with  which  doors  may  be  glued  up.  Expen¬ 
sive  glue  is  not  required  for  this  work,  but  a  strong, 
quick-setting  glue  is  needed,  so  that  the  doors  do  not 
have  to  remain  too  long  in  the  clamp,  thus  retarding 
the  work.  A  light-colored  glue,  having  had  a  sufficient 
quantity  of  oxide  of  zinc  mixed  with  it  by  the  glue 
manufacturer,  is  the  kind  required.  Using  this,  the 
man  at  the  door  clamp  can  take  them  out  of  the 
clamps  about  as  fast  as  he  can  properly  apply  the  glue, 
without  their  springing  apart  at  the  joints  so  as  to 
require  small  clamps  to  hold  them. 

Bear  in  mind,  in  making  blind-tenon  doors,  you 
must  have  good  machine  work,  dry  lumber,  snug  fit 
to  tenons,  quick-setting  glue,  all  applied  in  a  good, 
sensible  manner.  The  kinds  of  wood  and  styles  of 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


45 

doors  both  affect  the  resuits  obtained,  and  must  be 
made  the  subject  of  study  in  order  to  succeed. 

A  good  tool  for  rubbing  out  the  surplus  glue  after 
the  veneering  has  been  put  in  place  is  shown  in  Fig. 
44.  The  rubbing  part  may  be  made  out  of  an  old  plane 
iron,  or  from  a  worn-out  scraper. 

THE  CHOICE  AND  USE  OF  GLUE 

Glue  is  an  article  which  plays  an  important  part  in 
carpentry.  It  is  therefore  to  the  interest  of  all  to  know 
how  to  choose  a 
good  article,  and 
also  how  to  use  it 
properly  for  vari¬ 
ous  kinds  of  work. 

First,  as  to  how 
to  recognize  a  good 
article.  It  is  really 
useless  to  recom¬ 
mend  Russian,  Scotch,  French,  etc.,  as  there  are  good 
and  bad  qualities  of  each,  and  we  make  as  good  glue 
in  this  country  as  anywhere  in  the  world.  Neither 
does  the  test  of  looking  through  the  cakes  at  the 
light,  and  choosing  those  of  only  a  bright  color, 
apply  in  all  cases,  although  it  is  .a  fairly'  good  test 
with  thin  glue,  that  is,  glue  which  is  sold  in  thin 
cakes.  The  best  test  which  the  writer  has  found  is 
to  break  a  cake  into  two  or  three  pieces,  either  by 
forcibly  bending  it,  or  by  striking  with  the  hammer. 
If  the  fractures  present  a  smooth,  even  surface,  the  glue 
is  poor  in  quality;  but  if,  on  the  contrary,  they  pre¬ 
sent  a  ragged  appearance,  leaving  any  amount  of 
sharp  splinters,  it  is  evidence  of  good  quality,  and  may 


46 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


be  depended  upon.  The  latter  is  to  be  preferred,  as 
being  best  able  to  stand  the  damp  weather  without 
going  mouldy  and  perishing. 

The  best  way  to  prepare  glue  for  use  is  to  break  up 
sufficient  to  fill  the  inner  vessel  of  the  glue  pot  into 
small  pieces,  and  fill  the  vessel  with  water.  After 
soaking  a  few  hours,  the  outer  vessel  can  be  filled  with 
water,  and  allowed  to  boil.  When  this  takes  place, 
give  the  contents  of  the  inner  vessel  a  good  stir 
occasionally  until  all  is  melted,  when  the  glue  should 
run  off  the  brush  freely,  and  be  almost  as  thin  to  all 
appearances  as  good  linseed  oil. 

In  glueing  up  joints  of  any  description,  or  in  repair¬ 
ing  furniture,  the  great  object  is  to  get  the  wood  into 
as  close  contact  as  possible  before  the  glue  begins  to 
set;  and  the  best  way  to  manage  this  is  to  put  on  plenty 
of  glue,  boiling  hot,  and  by  means  of  pressure  or  by 
rubbing  the  parts  together,  to  rub  out  as  much  as 
possible.  The  general  idea  is  that  a  certain  amount  of 
glue  must  be  left  in  a  joint,  and  that  it  will  hold  best 
if  it  is  reasonably  thick.  Greater  mistakes  were  never 
made.  The  thinner  the  better,  and  the  less  left  in  the 
stronger  the  joint  will  be;  therefore  it  follows  that 
unless  the  parts  to  be  joined  fit  closely  together,  a 
strong  joint  is  impossible. 

The  glue  pot  must  be  kept  free  from  dust  and  damp, 
as  glue  which  goes  mouldy,  or  gets  mixed  with  foreign 
matter,  is  useless;  therefore,  unless  it  is  used  fairly 
often,  only  a  moderate  quantity  should  be  made  at 
one  time. 

The  outer  or  water  vessel  of  the  glue  pot  should  be 
large,  so  as  to  be  capable  of  holding  enough  water  to 
keep  the  glue  hot  long  enough  for  any  reasonable  job. 
A  small  water  vessel  is  a  continual  nuisance,  owing  to 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


47 


its  continually  boiling  dry  when  making  glue,  and 
failing  to  hold  the  heat  when  using  it.  Therefore, 
when  purchasing,  do  not  get  one  which  holds  less  than 
a  quart  of  water  at  the  least.  The  extra  cost  will  be 
saved  in  a  very  short  time. 

For  large  establishments  where  much  glue  is 
required,  special  appliances  are  provided,  and  may  be 
obtained  from  most  dealers  in  plumbers’  goods. 

For  glue  to  be  properly  effective  it  requires  to 
penetrate  the  pores  of  the  wood,  and  the  more  a  body 
of  glue  penetrates  the  wood,  the  more  substantial  the 
joint  will  remain.  Glues  that  take  the  longest  to  dry 
are  to  be  preferred  to  those  that  dry  quickly,  the  slow- 
drying  glues  being  always  the  strongest,  other  things 
being  equal.  For  general  use  no  method  gives  such 
good  results  as  the  following:  Break  the  glue  up 
small,  put  into  an  iron  kettle,  cover  the  glue  with 
water  and  allow  it  to  soak  twelve  hours;  after  soaking, 
boil  until  done.  Then  pour  it  into  -an  airtight  box, 
leave  the  cover  off  till  cold,  then  cover  up  tight.  As 
glue  is  required,  cut  out  a  portion  and  melt  in  the  usual 
way.  Expose  no  more  of  the  made  glue  to  the 
atmosphere  for  any  length  of  time  than  is  necessary, 
as  the  atmosphere  is  very  destructive  to  made  glue. 
Never  heat  made  glue  in  a  pot  that  is  subjected  to  the 
direct  heat  of  the  fire  or  a  lamp.  All  such  methods  of 
heating  glue  cannot  be  condemned  in  terms  too  severe. 
Do  not  use  thick  glue  for  joints  or  veneering.  In  all 
cases  work  it  well  into  the  wood,  in  a  similar  manner 
to  what  painters  do  with  paint.  Glue  both  surfaces  of 
your  work,  excepting  in  case  of  veneering.  Never 
glue  upon  hot  wood,  as  the  hot  wood  will  absorb  all 
the  water  in  the  glue  too  suddenly,  and  leave  only  a 
very  little  residue,  with  no  adhesive  power  in  it. 


48 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


REMARKS  ON  VENEERING 

A  wood  suitable  for  veneering  requires  to  be 
thoroughly  well  seasoned,  free  from  knots  and  shakes, 
and  should  not  contain  turps.  The  best  of  woods  for 
the  purpose  are  mahogany  and  American  walnut, 
although  good  pine  answers  well  for  ordinary  purposes. 
The  surface,  if  flat,  is  carefully  planed  with  the 
trying  plane.  It  is  then  well  toothed  over  with  the 
toothing  plane — first  the  lengthways  of  the  wood  and 
afterward  the  crossways — care  being  taken  to  tooth 
the  work  thoroughly.  If  you  are  working  pine,  use  a 
coarse  toothing  iron;  if  mahogany  or  other  hardwood, 
a  finer  iron  is  requisite.  If  the  wood  presents  a 
hollow  or  rounded  surface,  it  is  shaped  with  suitable 
planes,  rasps  and  files,  and  finally  well  prepared  cross- 
ways  with  coarse  glass  paper  such  as  strong  No.  2  or 
No.  2x/2. 

The  next  preparation  is  sizing.  To  make  the  size, 
take  one  part  of  good  glue  and  boil  it  well  with  50 
parts  of  water;  then  brush  over  the  ground-work  while 
hot;  allow  to  dry,  and,  if  there  should  be  any  defects 
in  the  ground-work,  fill  in  with  stopping.  Make  your 
stopping  by  mixing  some  finely  ground  plaster  of  Paris 
with  hot  glue  and  water,  enough  to  form  a  moderately 
stiff  paste.  Then  lay  in  where  necessary  with  a  chisel, 
taking  care  to  allow  for  shrinkage;  let  it  dry,  then 
level  off  with  a  rasp. 

Having  sized  the  ground-work  over,  next  proceed  to 
the  preparation  of  the  veneer  while  it  is  drying. 
Look  carefully  to  the  wood  before  cutting  it,  and  see 
that  it  is  done  in  such  a  manner  as  to  get  the  grain  of 
it  to  the  best  advantage.  Cut  it  rather  larger  than  the 
surface  it  is  intended  to  veneer,  to  allow  for  leveling 
at  the  ends  and  sides.  Most  veneers,  such  as  mahog- 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


49 


any,  oak,  chestnut,  maple,  sycamore,  birch,  satinwood 
and  various  other  woods,  are  ready  for  cutting  as 
received  from  the  merchant;  but  some,  like  burr 
walnut,  brown  oak,  Amboyna,  etc.,  present  an  uneven 
surface,  called  “backly. ”  When  this  is  the  case, 
damp  one  side  with  clear  water,  lay  it  down  with  its 
dry  side  upward,  and  put  the  wet  side  of  the  next 
veneer  upon  it,  repeating  the  operation  till  all  are 
done.  Take  particular  care  to  keep  each  veneer,  if 
there  are  more  than  three  or  four,  in  its  proper  order 
as  you  damp  and  turn  over,  and  do  not  on  any  account 
get  them  mixed.  Let  the  wood  stand  about  four  or 
five  hours,  then  lay  them  out  to  allow  to  nearly  dry 
and  they  will  be  ready  for  cutting  out. 

The  next  process  is  flatting.  Get  two  pieces  of 
wood  (dry,  straight  pine  will  answer),  rather  longer 
than  the  veneer,  and  heat  them  on  a  stove  or  before  a 
bright  fire;  then  place  the  veneer  together  between  the 
hand  screw,  and  allow  it  to  remain  for  about  half  an 
hour;  repeat  this  operation  until  the  veneer  is  perfectly 
dry  and  thoroughly  flat. 

Our  wood  is  now  ready  for  filling  in.  If  it  is  per¬ 
fectly  sound  this  operation  is,  of  course,  unnecessary; 
but  it  frequently  happens,  especially  with  burr  walnut, 
that  it  contains  holes  that  require  filling.  To  do  this, 
take  a  piece  of  the  veneer  (off  the  edges  of  that 
already  cut  out),  and  flat  it  precisely  as  the  other. 
Select  the  part  of  it  which  matches  best  with  the  grain 
of  the  wood  around  the  hole  to  be  filled  in.  Place  this 
underneath  the  hole.  If  you  have  a  stamp  rather 
larger  than  the  hole,  you  may  now  cut  it  square  or 
circular  and  the  piece  for  filling  it  at  the  same  time. 
If  not,  take  an  ordinary  pocket  knife  having  a  sharp 
point  and  cut  your  hole  and  veneer  the  required  shape. 


50 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


When  you  have  filled  in  the  wood,  lay  it  on  a  flat 
board,  then  press  the  piece  in  with  a  hammer.  If 
they  are  rather  large  use  one  or  two  finely  pointed 
tacks  to  keep  them  in  position.  Now  cover  all  the 
pieces  with  strips  of  paper,  selecting  a  strong  paper 
such  as  copy  book  or  note  paper  for  the  purpose— one 
that  is  not  too  thick- — and  glue  it  on  one  side.  Take 
care  to  use  glue  just  thick  enough  to  hold  the  wood  in 
position.  Pay  particular  attention  to  this,  or  it  will 
cause  a  good  deal  of  trouble.  You  will  find  it  best  to 
cut  the  paper  in  strips  about  to  I y2  inches  wide. 
Lay  it  on  a  board  to  glue  and  smooth  it  over  your 
veneer  with  a  damp  rag. 

Jointing. — We  now  procee  to  jointing.  Place  the 
veneer  in  the  position  it  will  appear  when  laid. 
Observe  that  it  matches.  If  you  are  to  have  one  joint, 
with  two  veneers  or  two  joints  with  four  veneers,  see 
that  the  grain  of  the  wood  forms  a  figure  having  both 
sides  alike.  If  the  veneers  have  b  en  kept  in  their 
right  or  following  order,  this  will  not  be  difficult.  If 
you  are  working  a  thick  veneer  (saw  cut),  make  the 
joints  with  an  iron  plane  or  ordinary  trying  plane  on 
the  shooting  board;  if  using  thin  veneer  (knife  cut), 
make  them  with  a  chisel  and  straight-edge.  Take 
particular  care  to  have  the  bevel  edge  of  the  chisel 
against  the  straight-edge  when  cutting  or  it  will  run, 
and  you  may  come  off  with  an  ugly  cut.  Now  put  the 
jointed  edges  together  on  a  deal  board,  and  tack  one 
edge  down;  put  the  tacks  about  ^  inch  from  the 
jointed  edges  and  about  2y2  inches  apart.  Having 
tacked  one  piece  down,  put  the  other  up  to  it  and  tack 
it  in  the  same  manner.  Now  cover  all  the  joints  with 
paper,  glue  together  in  the  same  manner  as  prt 
viously  mentioned  in  the  filling  in;  smooth  it  well  down, 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


Si 

with  a  damp  rag  and  allow  to  dry.  If  the  weather  is 
hot  it  is  best  to  cover  your  joints  to  prevent  them 
drying  too  quickly.  A  good  and  simple  method  is  to 
lay  your  board  with  the  veneer  downward  on  the  floor. 
Let  the  joints  dry,  then  take  out  the  tacks  and  knock 
the  head  holes  in  with  a  hammer  from  the  underneath 
side.  Put  the  veneer  aside  until  you  are  ready  for 
laying  it.  It  is  best  to  cover  it  up  and  keep  the  air 
from  it  by  placing  it  under  a  board  or  wrapper. 

There  are  two  ways  of  laying  veneer — by  means  of  a 
caul  or  a  veneering  hammer.  I  shall  describe  both 
methods,  although  the  first  is  of  greater  importance, 
and  should,  whenever  practicable,  be  adopted,  but  in 
certain  cases  which  I  shall  mention  the  second  is 
extremely  useful. 

Veneering  by  Caul. — First  make  a  caul,  then  take  a 
piece  of  well-seasoned  cedar  or  pine,  rather  larger  than 
the  surface  intended  to  cover  (about  1  inch  to  1% 
inches  each  way),  and  plane  it  up  true  on  both  sides, 
if  the  work  is  flat.  If  otherwise,  make  it  to  the 
requisite  shape  to  fit  the  work,  hollow,  round,  or 
whatever  it  may  be.  If  it  is  necessary  to  shape  the 
caul,  use  thicker  stuff,  and  it  is  advisable  to  screw  on 
two  or  three  battens  on  the  back.  When  making 
shaped  cauls  it  is  best  at  the  same  time  to  get  out  the 
pieces  of  wood  necessary  to  form  a  flat  surface  when 
the  wood  is  put  in  the  caul.  Thus,  suppose  we  wanted 
to  veneer  a  door  having  a  rounded  surface  on  one 
side  and  a  hollow  one  on  the  other.  We  have  made 
a  hollow  caul  to  correspond  with  the  rounded  surface 
having  its  under  side  flat.  Now  put  the  rounded  side 
of  the  door  in  the  caul  and  shape  your  piece  of  wood, 
rounding  it  to  fit  the  hollow  side.  They  should  be  2 
inches  wide — the  same  width  or  a  little  larger  than  the 


52 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


caul,  and  5  inches  or  6  inches  apart.  If  one  side  only 
of  the  wood  is  shaped  these  woods  are  unnecessary. 
If  the  wood  is  not  wide  enough,  make  a  good  joint, 
dowel  it  together,  and  take  it  to  pieces  for  heating. 
The  caul,  if  likely  to  be  much  in  use,  should  '.be 
covered  with  zinc.  Cut  the  metal  out  large  enough 
to  cover  the  face  of  it,  with  sufficient  to  turn  over  the 
edges  and  ends,  and  fasten  it  on  with  flat-headed  zinc 
or  copper  nails. 

Numerous  failures  in  unaccustomed  hands  may  be 
ascribed  to  bad  glue.  Nothing  but  the  very  best  glue 
should  be  used  for  veneering.  Get  the  very  best 
glue  you  can,  break  it  up  and  boil  thoroughly.  It 
differs  so  much  in  strength  that  the  proportion  of 
water  cannot  be  given,  but  after  breaking  up  in  pieces 
just  cover  with  water  and  allow  it  to  soak;  then  boil 
off  with  frequent  stirring.  It  will,  if  good,  now 
require  about  half  as  much  water  as  previously  added 
to  bring  it  to  the  right  consistence  for  veneering.  It 
should  be  spread  evenly  with  the  brush  and  be  free 
from  lumps.  Having  made  the  caul  and  prepared  the 
glue,  get  the  hand  screws  and  cramps  to  commence 
laying.  Heat  the  caul  on  a  stove  or  before  a  bright 
fire.  If  it  is  to  be  doweled  together,  and  if  it  is  more 
convenient,  take  it  to  pieces,  taking  care  to  mark  your 
joints  first.  If  you  intend  laying  two  similar  pieces  of 
veneer  on  flat  surfaces,  heat  both  sides  of  it  and  do  both 
pieces  together.  If  not,  get  one  side  of  it  well  heated, 
as  hot  as  you  can  without  letting  it  burn.  While  it  is 
heating,  set  the  hand  screws  and  cramps  open  as  near 
the  distance  as  you  will  require  them,  and  place  handy 
for  the  work.  Now  glue  the  ground-work  well,  and 
if  the  veneer  shows  any  signs  of  being  backly  glue  it 
slightly  on  the  underneath  side,  as  this  will  help  to 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


53 


soften  it.  Having  finished  gluing,  put  the  veneer  on 
the  work  and  smooth  it  over  gently  with  the  hand. 
Then  see  that  the  caul  is  hot  enough,  and  that  its 
surface  is  free  from  any  small  cinders  or  dirt.  Now 
rub  it  over  with  a  greasy  rag,  and  lay  it  gently  on  your 
veneer.  Draw  the  work  and  caul  a  little  over  the  edge 
of  the  bench,  just  enough  to  get  the  hand  screw  on; 
put  it  on  very  gently,  then  tighten  as  much  as 
possible.  You  can  then  stand  it  upon  the  floor,  and  if 
you  have  nobody  to  hold  it  for  you  rest  the  hand  screw 
against  the  bench  while  you  put  on  the  remainder. 
They  should  be  placed  about  6  inches  apart,  and  mind 
that  they  bite  fairly.  Do  not  get  any  screws  tighter 
than  the  other,  or  you  will  only  get  the  pressure  at  the 
outside  and  inside  of  the  cramps.  If  you  have  a  piece 
of  work  so  wide  that  the  screws  will  not  reach  the 
center  from  either  side  or  the  ends,  get  two  pieces  of 
wood  2  inches  or  2 y2  inches  thick  and  about  the  same 
thickness,  plane  them  up,  slightly  rounding  on  one 
side,  put  their  rounding  sides  facing  each  other  on  the 
work,  and  hand  screw  them  at  each  end;  they  will 
then  tighten  in  the  middle  and  give  sufficient  pressure. 
Let  the  caul  remain  on  for  nearly  an  hour  (in  very  hot 
weather  longer  will  not  hurt),  then  undo  the  hand 
screws,  and  if  the  caul  sticks,  insert  the  edge  of  a  thin 
metal  square,  the  back  of  a  hand  saw,  or  anything  of 
a  similar  nature,  between  it  and  the  veneer,  and  work 
it  carefully  about  until  you  get  them  apart.  If  the 
glue  has  been  used  thick  enough  and  the  caul  well 
greased,  there  will  not  be  very  much  trouble,  and  they 
will  often  come  apart  themselves,  or  by  giving  the  end 
of  the  caul  a  tap  with  the  hammer,  or  on  the  end  of  the 
bench.  See  that  the  veneer  is  down.  Feel  it  all  over 
with  the  hand.  If  it  is  up  you  will  be  able  to  tell  bv 


54 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


the  hollow  sound  on  tapping  it  with  the  tip  of  your 
finger,  as  well  as  by  the  raised  appearance  called  blisters 
it  will  present  when  held  to  the  light.  If  you  heat 
your  caul  sufficiently,  use  the  glue  thick  enough,  and 
put  the  hand  screws  on  properly,  you  will  not  be 
troubled  with  blisters.  Should,  however,  there  be 
any,  let  the  work  stand  for  one  or  two  hours,  and  then 
put  a  smaller  hot  caul  on  when  required  until  well 
down  all  over. 

To  level  the  veneer,  first  lay  it  (veneer  downward) 
on  a  board  and  scrape  off  with  a  chisel  as’much  of  the 
glue  that  has  come  over  the  edges  as  you  can.  Now 
put  it  on  the  bench  screw,  and  level  toward  you,  with 
the  paring  chisel  if  thin  veneers;  if  thick,  use  a 
smoothing  plane.  Put  it  aside  to  dry.  If  you  have 
two  pieces  of  the  same  size  put  them  with  their  veneer 
sides  together;  if  only  one,  place  it  so  that  the  air 
does  not  get  to  the  veneer;  allow  to  stand  for  two  or 
three  days,  then  scrape  off  the  paper  for  filling  in 
pieces  and  jointing  with  a  chisel,  having  previously 
damped  it  with  hot  water.  The  work  is  now  ready  for 
sizing.  This  operation  may  be  dispensed  with,  but  it 
is  decidedly  advantageous,  especially  if  working  wood 
which  has  an  open  grain.  The  size,- which  should  be 
about  the  same  strength  as  that  used  for  the  ground¬ 
work,  is  brushed  or  rubbed  over  the  veneer  with  the 
hand,  then  wiped  off  as  dry  as  possible  with  a  cloth. 

As  has  already  been  mentioned,  this  method  is  useful 
in  certain  cases.  We  sometimes  want  to  veneer  an 
edge,  to  put  a  narrow  slip  of  veneer  on  some  small 
surface  where  it  would  be  very  inconvenient  to  caul  it 
down.  If  you  are  working  a  wood  of  a  glossy  or 
greasy  description,  like  satinwood  or  rosewood,  its 
nature  will  not  admit  of  sufficient  pressure  by  this 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


55 


process,  nor  should  it  ever  be  adopted  for  work 
where  water  will  act  injuriously.  I  believe  the  pre¬ 
vailing  opinion  is  that  veneer  requires  a  good  deal  of 
water  to  make  it  lie.  In  the  first  process,  you  will 
remember  that  it  is  laid  quite  dry.  In  the  second 
process  water  is  used,  and  if  we  consider  that  a  damp 
surface  tends  to  cause  the  wood  to  cast  as  it  dries,  we 
can  readily  understand  where  it  should  be  used. 

Veneering  Round  and  Tapering  Columns. — Occasions 
often  arise  where  it  is  desirable  to  veneer  columns  of 
varying  size  and  shape,  and  just  how  to  do  the  work 
to  the  best  advantage  is  a  question  not  always  readily 
determined  by  the  workman. 

In  commenting  upon  this 
matter  a  well-known  author¬ 
ity  offers  the  following  sug¬ 
gestions  concerning  tapering 
columns: 

“The  success  of  this  work 
depends  entirely  on  the 
proper  cauls.  The  spong¬ 
ing  and  gluing  is  the  same  as  the  work  previously  men¬ 
tioned.  Take  a  circular  column  3  or  4  inches  in  diameter, 
the  core  to  be  made  of  any  suitable  material.  Pass  a 
piece  of  paper  around  the  core  and  make  a  straight 
joint  through  the  center  and  we  have  the  exact  size  of 
the  veneer.  A  caul  of  tin  with  a  cleat  on  each  end  for 
the  purchase  of  the  hand  screws  is  to  be  made  as  in  Fig. 
45,  leaving  the  top  open  for  an  inch  or  more  to  give  the 
glue  a  chance  to  escape.  Apply  the  glue  to  the  core  and 
pass  the  veneer  around  it,  not  forgetting,  however,  to 
sponge  the  veneer  before  doing  so.  After  screwing 
together,  put  the  whole  in  the  steam  box  to  warm  up  the 
stiffened  glue.  After  the  work  has  become  thoroughly 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


56 

warm,  take  it  out  and  give  the  hand  screws  a  few  turns, 
then  lay  it  aside  until  the  glue  is  set.  Take  off  the 
hand  screws  and  dispense  with  the  tin  cauls.  The 

ends  may  then  be 
brought  together,  as 
shown  in  Fig.  46,  only 
the  caul  on  the  joint  is 
to  be  heated. 

“Fig.  47  is  a  tapering 
column.  The  work  is 
the  same  as  above  de¬ 
scribed,  only  the  shape 
of  the  veneer  is  differ- 
Fig.  46  ent,  which  may  begot 

either  by  passing  paper 
around,  trimming  on  both  ends  and  making  a  straight 
joint  in  center  of  column,  or  by  laying  out  the  diagram, 
as  in  Fig.  48.  In  explanation  thereof,  let  A,  B,  C,  D 
represent  the  column 
in  question.  To  find 
the  shape  of  a  veneer 
to  pass  around  this 
column  extend  AB 
and  CD  to  E.  With 
the  radius  EC  and 
ED,  describe  the  arcs 
CF  and  OH,  which 
will  be  the  required 
shape,  and  the  dis¬ 
tance  AF  and  IH  will 
pass  half-way  around, 
and  the  veneer  requires  to  be  cut  as  large  again  to 
pass  all  around  the  column.  Under  no  circumstances 
make  more  than  one  joint.  By  following  the  instruc- 


Cr> 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


Fig.  48 


53 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


tion  herein  given  any  fair  mechanic  will  be  enabled  to 
execute  a  creditable  piece  of  work.” 

In  veneering  small  work,  such  as  picture  frames, 
clock  stands  or  similar  work,  cauls  should  be  reverse 
of  the  moulding  or  face  of  the  work  to  be  veneered, 
and  the  top  of  caul,  when  laid  on  the  moulding,  should 
be  parallel  with  the  under  side  of  the  work,  so  that 
caul  and  work  can  be  gripped  firmly  with  hand  screws, 
when  the  veneer  is  being  glued  in  place. 

The  section  shown  in  Fig.  49  is  known  in  the  trade 
as  a  plain  chamfer,  and  Fig.  50  shows  a  method  by 
which  such  a  frame  maybe  veneered 
without  taking  it  to  pieces.  Veneer 
yi  inch  thick  can  only  be  laid  with 
cauls;  and  a  suitable  one  is  shown, 
and  also  the  method  of  fixing  it. 
The  dotted  outline  of  the  caul  is 
shown  in  section  in  Fig.  49,  with  the 
veneer  between  it  and  the  base.  If 
the  frames  are  polished,  remove 
the  polish  carefully  with  a  sharp  scraper;  avoid  work¬ 
ing  the  surface  into  holes,  but  leave  it  rough  from  the 
scraper.  Cut  the  veneer  to  a  width  that  will  allow 
sufficient  margin  for  beveling,  as  shown  in  Fig.  49, 
and  tooth  or  scratch  the  under  face  with  a  saw.  Joint 
the  inside  edge  to  a  correct  bevel,  cut  to  a  miter  and 
joint  the  ends  in  a  miter  joint,  bedding  the  veneer 
either  on  a  piece  of  the  moulding  or  on  a  waste  piece 
chamfered  to  the  same  angle;  this  is  to  obtain  a  vertical 
face  to  the  miter.  Next  prepare  the  caul  (as  shown 
in  Fig.  49)  out  of  a  piece  of  deal.  The  caul  should  be 
}{\nch  shorter  than  the  veneer,  and  mitered  at  each 
end;  not  cut  square  as  shown  in  Fig.  50;  which  is 
drawn  thus  for  clearness.  Make  the  caul  slightly 


A 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER  59 

round  in  length  and  beveled,  so  that  the  two  surfaces 
marked  AB  (Fig.  49)  are  parallel.  Well  glue  the 
veneer  and  the  frame,  lay  the  veneer  in  the  proper 
position,  place  a  strip  of  paper  on  the  surface  of  the 
veneer,  and  lay  the  caul  (preferably  hot)  upon  this 
paper  and  fix  with  hand  screws  as  shown,  the  more 
screws  the  better.  Take  care  that  the  inside  edge  of 


the  veneer  is  flush  with  the  edges  of  the  frame.  Pro¬ 
ceed  to  fix  the  opposite  side  in  like  manner;  then 
wipe  off  the  superfluous  glue  with  a  rag  dipped  in  hot 
water,  and  wash  the  miters  clean;  then  fit  in  the  two 
end  pieces,  which  can  be  fixed  in  the  manner  described 
for  the  sides.  Allow  twelve  hours  to  dry,  then  clean 
off  the  back  edges  and  scrape  up  the  faces. 

MAKING  READY  FOR  POLISHING 

If  the  workman  who  finally  finishes  woodwork  had 
the  selection  of  the  materials  out  of  which  the  work 


6o 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


is  formed*  and  wrought  the  work  himself,  the  follow¬ 
ing  suggestions  would  scarcely  be  required,  for  he 
would  see  to  it  that  the  material  was  free  from  shakes, 
cracks,  worm  holes,  doze,  sap  and  fractures;  and  he 
would  so  choose  his  material  that  the  full  beauty  of 
the  grain  would  show,  when  the  polish  coat  went  on. 
He  would  also  see  that  the  work  was  clea?i;  that  is, 
that  no  plane  marks  were  visible,  no  rough  spots  or 
cross-grains  noticeable,  and  that  all  angles  were  sharp 
and  definite,  all  mouldings  smooth  and  not  a  nail  head 
or  screw  top  to  be  seen,  nor  any  point  that  could 
suggest  a  nail  head.  As  a  rule,  however,  the  work¬ 
man  who  puts  on  the  last  finishing  touches  never 
makes  the  work,  though  he  is  always  expected  to 
cover  and  hide  all  the  faults  of  bad  workmanship,  bad 
selection  of  timber,  and  a  thousand  other  objection¬ 
able  things  in  connection  with  work  over  which  he 
has  had  no  control.  In  order  to  aid  the  finisher  as 
much  as  possible,  I  give  a  few  hints  herewith,  for  the 
use  of  the  workman  whose  duty  it  may  be  to  prepare 
and  put  up  the  work  to  be  finished.  The  suggestions 
given  are  equally  applicable  for  hard  and  soft  woods, 
and  1  trust  they  will  not  be  out  of  place. 

First,  then,  see  that  the  material  is  dry,  free  from 
imperfections,  of  the  full  sizes  required,  and  of  such 
variety  of  grain  as  may  be  suitable  for  the  purpose 
intended.  Next,  make  all  joints  close  and  as  near 
perfect  as  possible,  as  on  this  point  rests,  in  a  great 
measure,  the  artistic  appearance  of  the  work.  Make 
all  angles  sharp  and  clean,  and  all  mitered  mouldings 
true  and  with  perfect  intersections.  Never  use  glass 
paper  where  a  scraper  can  be  applied,  and-  when  a 
large  quantity  of  mouldings  of  similar  contour  and  size 
are  to  be  employed;  it  is  always  better  to  make  a 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER  61 

scraper  their  reverse  shape,  and  use  it  in  cleaning  and 
preparing  the  mouldings  for  the  varnisher,  than  to  use 
glass  paper  for  the  purpose. 

The  scraper  illustrated  by  Fig.  51,  ana  sftown  handled 
by  Fig.  52,  is  an  aid  in  producing  surfaces  more  flat 
and  regular  than  can 
be  produced  with 
the  plane  alone.  Its 
use  does  not  dis¬ 
pense  with  the 
plane;  on  the  con¬ 
trary,  any  surface 
on  which  the  scraper 
is  to  be  used  must  previously  be  planed  as  level  and 
smooth  as  plane  can  make  it.  But  the  plane,  in  doing 
i  ts  work — no  matter  how  sharp  it  may  be,  or  how  closely 
the  back-iron  is  set  up  to  the  edge  of  the  cutting  iron, 
or  how  straight  across  the  edge  the  cutting  iron  is 
sharpened — is  liable  to  leave  marks  and  ridges  on  the 
face  of  the  work,  which,  on  hard  woods, 
are  not  effectively  removed  by  the  use 
of  sandpaper  alone.  The  scraper  is 
used  after  the  plane  has  finished  its  work, 
and  previous  to  the  final  operation  of 
sandpapering.  In  addition  to  the  re¬ 
moval  of  the  ridges  left  by  the  plane, 
the  scraper  is  used  for  dressing  up  all 
kinds  of  cross-grained  surfaces  that  occur 
in  curly  and  figured  solid  and  veneer  woods;  but  as  far 
as  possible  this  use  of  the  scraper  should  be  avoided. 
Excessive  dressing  up  of  a  cross-grained  patch  on  a 
panel,  a  stile,  or  a  table-top  will  most  certainly  show, 
and  spoil  the  flatness  and  general  appearance  of  the 
article  when  it  is  polished.  As  a  rule,  such  excessive 


Fig.  52 


62 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


scraping  is  resorted  to  in  consequence  of  the  plane 
having  been  sharpened  and  set  badly,  or  of  some  other 
technical  oversight  or  unskillful  manipulation. 

The  scraper  is  a  thin  and  very  hard  steel  plate,  about 
5  in.  by  3  in.,  or  4^  in.  by  2 in.,  and  slightly  less 
than  xV’n-  *n  thickness.  The  long  edges  are  sharpened 
in  a  peculiar  manner.  Both  of  the  long  edges  may  be 
straight,  as  in  Fig.  51,  and  at  AB,  Fig.  53,  or  one 
edge  may  have  round  corners  of  differing  radii,  as  at 

CD.  These  corners  are 
often  useful  in  working 
up  hollows  and  mould¬ 
ings  generally.  The 
“straight”  edge  AB,  it 
will  be  noticed,  is  not 
quite  straight  throughout 
its  whole  length.  Near 
the  ends  the  edge  is  gradually  rounded  off,  to  prevent 
the  corners  catching  in  the  surface  that  is  being  operated 
on.  In  this  respect,  the  commercial  scraper  (Fig.  51)  is 
incorrectly  shaped.  The  cutting  power  of  a  scraper 
depends  upon,  first,  the  quality  and  temper  of  the  steel 
of  which  it  is  made;  and,  secondly,  upon  the  proper 
formation  of  the  burr  or  feather  along  its  edges.  Also, 
the  faces  of  the  steel  plate  must  be  perfectly  bright 
and  free  from  rust  marks  or  indentations  of  any  kind. 
It  is  by  no  means  an  uncommon  thing  to  find  any  rusty 
■  piece  of  sheet  steel — a  piece  of  an  old  hand  saw  or 
try-square,  for  example — being  used  as  a  scraper. 
The  smallest  appreciation  of  why  the  scraper  cuts 
would  indicate  how  useless  such  material  is  for  this 
particular  purpose.  On  the  other  hand,  scarcely  any¬ 
thing  better  can  be  found  for  making  a  scraper  than  a 
piece  of  broken  saw  blade,  provided  the  sides  of  it  are 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


63 


still  polished  and  bright.  The  fact  that  the  saw  was 
broken  may  easily  be  taken  to  indicate  a  higher  temper 
than  usual  in  the  blade,  thus  fitting  it  exactly  for  the 
purpose  of  a  scraper.  The  temper  of  an  ordinary 
saw  blade  is  not  usually  hard  enough.  Provided 
that  there  is  enough  elasticity  to  “give”  in  the 
operator’s  hands  as  it  is  being  pushed  along,  the 
scraper  should  be  nearly  too  hard  for  an  ordinary 
file  to  touch.  If  it  can  be  filed  easily,  then  its  edge 
will  soon  be  gone.  At  the  same  time,  if  the  steel 
is  merely  hard  without  the  required  amount  of  elas¬ 
ticity,  the  burr  will  strip  off  as  it  is  applied  to  the 
work,  leaving  a  coarse,  jagged  edge  which  is  worse 
than  useless. 

The  correctly  sharpened  scraper  is  a  real  cutting 
tool,  and  not,  as  its  name  suggests — and  as  in  practice 
it  often  is — a  mere  abrader  of  the  surface.  When  in 
good  working  trim,  the  scraper  should,  if  desired,  take 
off  shaving  after  shaving  perfectly  uniform  in  thick¬ 
ness,  and  nearly  as  wide  as  the  cutting  edge  is  long. 
But  such  a  performance  is  rarely  required  of  it,  and 
never  when  the  plane  has  previously  done  its  work 
properly.  Too  much  emphasis  cannot  be  laid  on  the 
fact  that  the  proper  duty  of  the  scraper  is  not  to  make 
a  surface,  but  to  correct  the  irregularities  on  it.  In 
explanation  of  the  cutting  action  of  the  scraper,  a 
diagrammatic  figure  is  shown  in  Fig.  66.  The  figure 
correctly  illustrates  the  cutting  principle,  though  it 
does  not  represent  a  true  section  of  the  scraper.  In 
use,  the  scraper  is  held  firmly  in  both  hands  and  tilted 
forwards,  away  from  the  operator,  until  the  cutting 
edge  grips  the  surface  of  the  wood,  exactly  as  shown 
in  Fig.  54.  It  is  then  kept  steadily  at  this  angle,  and 
made  to  cut  a  fine  shaving  at  each  stroke  as  it  is  being 


64 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


pushed  away  from  the  operator  in  the  direction  from 
E  to  F  (Fig.  54). 

The  proper  formation  of  the  burr  edge  is  of  the 
greatest  importance.  Having  procured  a  suitable 


steel  plate,  a  usual  but  not  recommended  method  is 
as  follows:  The  plate  is  laid  down  on  the  bench  as 
shown  in  Fig.  55.  A  narrow  chisel,  brad-awl  or  gouge, 

as  shown  in  Fig. 
56,  is  then  laid  on 
the  scraper  hori¬ 
zontally,  and  with 
considerable  pres- 
s  u  r e  is  stroked 
backwards  and 
forwards  from  end 
to  end  of  the 
plate,  G  to  H, 
Fig.  55.  After 
about  10  or  12 
strokes  the  scraper  is  turned  over  and  the  other  side  is 
treated  in  the  same  manner.  This  completes  the  first 
part  of  the  process  of  sharpening.  Next,  the  gouge 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


65 


is  placed  vertically  against  the  edge,  as  shown  in  Fig. 
57,  and  stroked  to  and  fro  with  about  the  same 
pressure  and  firmness  as  the  sides  of  plate  received, 


Fig.  56 

and  about  the  same  number  of  times.  Or  else,  for 
this  second  part,  the  scraper  may  be  placed  on  its 
corner  on  the  bench,  as  shown  in  Fig.  58,  and  held 
firmly  in  the  left 
hand,  while  the  ' 

right  hand  deftly 
strokes  the  convex 
side  of  the  gouge 
with  a  quick  action 
and  considerable 
pressure,  once  or 
twice  in  an  upward 
direction,  as  from 
I  to  J  in  Fig.  58. 

The  scraper  is  then 
tried  on  the  work 
to  determine  its 
sharpness.  If, 
after  this  process, 
the  scraper  fails  to 
cut  satisfactorily, 
it  is  laid  down  on 

the  bench  and  the  two  processes  are  repeated.  The 
following  is  a  better  method  of  sharpening  a  scraper: 
First,  have  the  scraper  ground  so  that  its  edge  shall  be 


Fig.  57 


66 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


straight  and  square,  and  slope  up  at  the  ends,  as  shown 
at  A  and  B,  Fig.  53.  It  should  then  be  placed  on  its  edge 
on  a  fine-cutting  oilstone,  as  shown  in  P'ig.  60,  and 
rubbed  backwards  and  forwards  until  all  traces  of  the 
grinding  have  disappeared.  Then  if  should  be  laid  flat 
on  its  side,  still  on  the  oilstone,  as  in  Fig.  61,  and 
rubbed  untd  the  sides  are  bright  and  polished  all  along 
the  edges.  If  any  false  burr  or  feather-edge  has  been 

created  in  this  last 
process,  the  scrap¬ 
er  must  be  set  up 
on  its  edge  again, 
as  in  Fig.  60,  and 
rubbed  a  little 
more,  until  two 
perfectly  square 
and  sharp  corners 
appear  all  along 
the  scraper.  Now, 
if  due  care  has 
really  been  taken 
in  making  the 
corners  perfect 
and  square,  the 
scraper  in  this  condition  would  produce  shavings 
tolerably  well  on  any  hardwood;  but  the  shaving 
would  be  the  result  of  abrasive  and  not  of  cutting 
action.  It  is  purely  a  matter  of  choice  if,  at  this 
stage,  a  smooth-backed  gouge  is  passed  to  and  fro 
over  the  side  of  the  scraper,  as  in  Fig.  55,  with  the 
object  of  imparting  a  still  higher  polish  to  the  plate  of 
stael  at  the  places  where  the  burr  is  to  be  formed. 
But  the  greatest  care  must  be  taken  not  to  press  too 
heavily,  and  also  to  maintain  a  perfectly  level  position 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


67 


with  the  gouge,  while  the  polishing  is  being  done.  As 
stated,  this  polishing  of  the  side  is  not  really 
necessary,  and  the  scraper  would  cut  very  well  without 


backed  gouge  is  passed  once — or  at  most  twice — along 

the  edge.  The  scraper 
during  this  operation 
may  be  held  either  as 
already  shown  in  Fig. 
57,  or  as  is  here  rec¬ 
ommended  and  shown 
in  Fig.  61;  or  it  may  be 
fastened  in  the  bench- 
vise.  The  aim  in  this 
particular  action  is  the  production  of  an  exceedingly  fine 
burr,  scarcely  enough  to  be  called  a  burr  at  all,  but  a  per¬ 
fectly  regular  bending  over  of  the  corner;  the  gouge 


Fig.  60 


68 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


must  be  very  lightly  pressed,  or  it  will  cause  the  burr 
to  curl  up  too  much,  and  also  it  must  be  kept  nearly, 
though  not  quite,  horizontal.  With  regard  to  resharp¬ 
ening  the  scraper, 
when  this  becomes 
necessary,  the 
scraper  must  be 
placed  upon  the 
oilstone  and 
rubbed  up  again  to 
perfectly  square 
corners  as  pre¬ 
viously  described 
in  connection  with 
Figs.  60  and  61. 

There  are  other 
methods  of  sharp¬ 
ening  scrapers 
which  are  made 
use  of  by  some 

workmen;  indeed,  nearly  every  workman,  after  expe¬ 
rience,  will  adopt  such  method  as  will  seem  to  him  to 
be  the  best  for  the  purpose.  There  are  workmen  who 
seldom  or  never  use  an  oilstone,  but  employ 
a  fine  file  instead,  and  draw-file  the  edge  of 
the  scraper  as  shown  in  Fig.  63.  This  is  done 
by  placing  the  scraper  in  a  vise  and  with  a 
smooth,  flat  file  making  the  edge  perfectly 
square  and  as  straight  as  possible  after  the  man¬ 
ner  of  jointing  a  hand  saw.  Next  place  the  file 
squarely  across  the  edge  and  pass  it  from  end  to  end  of 
the  scraper  two  or  three  times.  This  operation  is  known 
as  draw-filing,  a  plan  view  of  the  position  and  direction 
of  the  file  being  shown  in  Fig.  63.  Treat  all  four  edges 


Fig.  61 


Fig 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


69 


the  same  way.  The  edge,  as  it  will  now  appear,  is 
shown  enlarged  and  exaggerated  in  Fig.  64.  Remove 
the  scraper  from  the  vise  and  lay  it  flat  on  the  bench, 
then  taking  the  gouge,  Fig.  56,  rub  out  straight  all  the 
wire  edges,  keeping  the  gouge  on  the  scraper  and  passing 
it  quickly  back  and  forth  after  the  manner  of  stropping 


a  razor.  The  edge  will  then  appear  as  in  Fig.  65. 
Now,  taking  the  scraper  in  the  left  hand  and  holding 
it  firmly  edgewise  on  the  bench,  place  the  gouge 
across  the  edge,  making  a  small  bevel  with  the  side  of 
the  scraper,  and  draw  it  upward  two  or  three  times, 
using  considerable  pressure.  This  will  turn  the  edge 
back  as  it  was  after  filing,  but  it  will 
now  be  straight  instead  of  grooved,  and 
smooth  instead  of  ragged.  All  of  the 
eight  edges  must  be  treated  in  the  same 
manner,  when  they  will  appear  as  in 
Fig.  66,  and  the  scraper  should  now 
Fig.  64  take  off  3  shaving  like  a  smooth-plane, 
but  much  finer. 

In  order  to  resharpen  the  scraper  it  is  not  necessary 
to  go  through  the  filing  operation  again  for  some  time — 
simply  flatten  out  the  edges  and  turn  them  again  with 
a  little  more  bevel  than  before.  This  can  be  done 


.M 

Fig. 65 


70 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


very  rapidly.  In  order  to  avoid  too  many  stops, 
always  keep  three  or  four  scrapers  at  hand  and  sharpen 

them  all  at  once. 
The  best  thing 
with  which  to  hold 
the  scraper  is  a 
piece  of  sandpa- 
per,  with  the 
sanded  side  next 
the  scraper.  This 
gives  a  good  grip 
and  prevents  the 
tool  from  burning 
the  fingers. 

Some  people  file  the  edge  of  the  scraper  rounding, 
to  prevent  the  corners  from  catching.  This  is  not  at 
all  necessary,  as  the 
action  of  pushing  the 
scraper  bends  it  slight¬ 
ly,  which  raises  the  cor¬ 
ners  somewhat.  The 
sharpening  of  a  scraper, 
however,  like  the  sharp¬ 
ening  of  a  hand  saw, 
takes  considerable  prac¬ 
tice  and  no  little  knack; 
so  if  at  first  one  does 
not  succeed  it  is  only 
necessary  to  keep  peg¬ 
ging  away  at  it  until 
success  crowns  the 
efforts,  for  it  is  well 
worth  all  the  trouble.  It  may  oe  mentioned  incident¬ 
ally  that  a  good  burnisher  may  be  bought  all  ready  at 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER  71 

any  good  hardware  store.  Leather  curriers  use  them 
for  turning  the  edges  of  their  knives  and  they  are  bet¬ 
ter  than  a  gouge  because  of  their  being  tempered  harder 
and  more  highly  finished. 

The  true  theory  of  a  scraper,  for  some  purposes, 
may  be  described  as  follows:  Where  there  is  a  lot  of 
superfluous  wood  to  remove,  as  in  hardwood  floors  or 
other  similar  work,  where  it  is  not  desirable  to  use  a 
smooth  plane,  it  is  well  to  file  or  grind  the  scraper  to  a 
bevel,  the  same  as  a 
plane  iron,  and  bring  it 
to  a  keen  edge  on  the 
oilstone;  then  proceed 
to  burnish  it.  Hold  the 
burnisher  slightly  at  an 
angle  with  the  bevel  as 
indicated  in  Fig.  67, 
and  draw  it  lightly 
across  the  blade.  Then 
increase  the  angle  and 
the  pressure,  repeating 
the  process  until  the 
burnisher  is  at  nearly 
right  angles  with  the 
blade,  after  which  run 
the  burnisher  back  and 
side  and  then  the  other,  as  indicated  in  Fig.  68,  when  it 
is  ready  for  use.  When  it  becomes  a  little  dull,  do  not 
turn  the  edge  back,  as  many  do,  but  use  the  burnisher, 
as  shown  in  Fig.  68.  A  good  blade  will  stand  for  two 
or  three  hours  without  filing  or  grinding. 

For  fine  work  file  or  grind  the  blade  perfectly  square 
on  the  edge  and  get  it  perfectly  smooth  on  the  oil¬ 
stone.  Then  hold  the  burnisher  as  shown  in  Fig.  69, 


forward  a  few  times,  first  one 


72 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


the  dotted  lines  indicating  how  to  start  and  the  full 
lines  how  to  finish.  In  all  cases  finish  the  operation 
as  shown  in  Fig.  69.  If  unsuccessful  the  first  time,  do 
not  give  up  the  job,  for  the  scraper  is  a  tool  that 
requires  a  great  deal  of  practice  in  order  to  become 
expert  in  sharpening. 

Defective  Sharpening  of  Scrapers. — A  frequent  mis¬ 
take  is  to  put  too  great  pressure  on  the  gouge,  and  to 
stroke  too  much.  One  or  two  strokes  should  be  quite 

sufficient  to  give  the 
scraper  the  proper 
edge.  At  all  events, 
after  the  scraper  has 
had  a  couple  of 
strokes  of  the  bur¬ 
nisher  or  gouge,  it 
should  be  tried,  and 
if  it  does  not  grip  the 
work  properly,  give 
it  a  few  strokes  more. 
Scrapers  with  a  high 
temper  require  more 
burnishing  than  if 
soft  or  medium  tem¬ 
per,  but  if  overdone,  the  edge  will  crumble  and  it  will  not 
do  clean  work.  Soft  scrapers  are  easier  handled  than 
hard  ones,  but  require  a  great  deal  more  sharpening, 
and  this  sometimes  leads  to  rough  work,  as  the  workman 
will  not  take  time  to  repeatedly  put  his  scraper  in  order. 
As  before  stated,  the  workman  should  have  at  least 
three  or  four  scrapers  on  hand,  and  they  should  always 
be  kept  in  good  order.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  have  a 
little  box  or  case  in  the  tool  chest  purposely  to  hold 
scrapers,  for  two  reasons;  The  workman  will  always 


I 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


73 


know  where  to  find  them  when  wanted  and,  secondly, 
it  will  save  the  edges  from  being  broken  or  damaged 
by  being  jolted  or 
rubbed  against  other 
tools. 

Varieties  of  Scrap¬ 
ers. — There  is  a  new 
scraper  in  the  market 
which  is  said  to  be 
superior  to  anything 
made  in  the  scraper 
line.  A  representa¬ 
tion  of  it  is  shown  in  Fig.  70,  which  is  taken  from  an 
advertisement.  I  do  not  know  of  my  own  knowledge 

how  the  scraper 
works,  but,  judg¬ 
ing  from  its  shape 
and  setting,  I 
should  think  it 
theoretically  cor¬ 
rect. 

Other  shapes  of  scrapers  are  shown  in  Figs.  71  and 
72.  The  first  of  these  is  intended  for  smoothing  up 
hollows  and  rounds.  A 
number  of  these  should 
be  kept  on  hand,  with 
curves  of  various  radii. 

Fig.  72  shows  a  scraper 
made  purposely  for  clean¬ 
ing  out  hollows  of  various 
curvatures,  and  will  be 
found  very  useful  on  work 
where  there  are  a  number  of  curves  or  other  hollow 
mouldings.  Often  the  workman  may  have  to  make 


74 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


scrapers  to  suit  certain  kinds  of  work,  and  when 
such  is  the  case,  he  should  make  it  a  fixed  rule 
never  to  change  them,  but  to  keep  them  in  his  tool 
chest,  and  make  others,  when  necessary,  from  new 
material.  An  old  hand  saw  blade 
generally  answers  quite  well  for  scrap¬ 
ers,  and  one  saw  will  make  a  couple 
of  dozen  scrapers  of  different  sizes  and 
shapes. 

How  to  Use  Sandpaper. — For  properly 

using  sandpaper  a  rubber  is  needed.  A  piece  of  ma¬ 
hogany  or  clean  pine,  5^  in-  by  3  in.  by  1  in.,  shaped 
as  in  Fig.  73,  answers  well  if  a  piece  of  sheet  cork  is 
glued  on  the  face  as  shown.  Fold  a  piece  of  sandpa¬ 
per,  6  in.  wide  and  about  10  in.  long,  into  three,  place  it 
sand  side  downwards,  and  put  the  face  of  the  rubber 
on  the  middle  division.  Grasp  the  rubber  so  that  the 
ends  of  the  sandpaper  are  held  firmly  on  its  back  and 
sides  (see  Fig.  74),  and  work  then  can  be  commenced. 

A  solid  rubber  about  one  inch  thick  makes  an 
excellent  block  for  the  purpose.  A  piece  of  rubber 
belting  glued  to  a  piece  of  bass¬ 
wood  also  makes  a  good  rubber 
block. 

Rasps  and  Files. — The  wood¬ 
worker  occasionally  uses  rasps, 
and  these  generally  are  half- 
round,  though  sometimes  flat. 

The  cabinet  rasp  shown  in  Fig. 

75  is  not  a  very  coarse  one. 

Cabinet  and  wood  rasps  range  from  4  in.  to  14  in. 
in  length,  and  at  12  in.  and  less  the  price  is  about 
4  cents  per  inch.  The  extra  2  in.  in  a  14-inch  rasp 
adds  nearly  50  per  cent  to  the  price.  Files  also 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


75 


are  used,  for  smoothing  up  hardwood.  When  a 
file  is  used,  it  should  be  pushed  and  drawn  in  the 
direction  of  the  grain.  The  file  usually  em¬ 
ployed  by  carriage  makers  for 
smoothing  up  spokes  and  other 
work  is  generally  a  half-round 
bastard  file,  and  when  properly 
used  makes  exceedingly  smooth 
work.  A  finer  file  than  the  bastard 
is  shown  in  Fig.  76.  This  is  some¬ 
times  used  for  finishing  narrow 
flat  work. 

SAWS  FOR  WORKING  HARDWOOD 

Saw-filing  is  an  art  unto  itself, 
and  few  men  ever  attain  the  art 
to  perfection.  To  file  a  saw  in 
such  manner  that  the  working  of 
it  is  a  pleasure  requires  an  amount 
of  skill  and  a  high  order  of  tech¬ 
nical  knowledge  that  can  only  be 
acquired  by  thought  and  expe¬ 
rience;  yet  a  properly  set  and  filed 
saw  is  a  real  necessity  in  the  mak¬ 
ing  of  good  joiners’  work,  and, 
while  every  workman  cannot 
become  an  expert  saw-filer,  he 
ought  at  least  to  possess  such 
knowledge  of  the  art  as  will  ena¬ 
ble  him  to  set  and  file  his  own 
saws  in  such  a  manner  as  will  ena¬ 
ble  him  to  execute  such  work  as 
he  may  be  called  upon  to  make; 

Fig.  75  and  to  this  end,  I  propose  to  off er  Fig.  76 


•' 1  / 


;6 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


a  few  instructions  and  remarks  that  will  assist  him  in 
managing  his  own  saws  without  the  employment  of 
expert  aid.  It  is  not  my  intention  to  go  into  the  mat¬ 
ter  of  saw-filing  to  any  great  extent,  as  that  subject  will 
probably  be  discussed  at  length  in  another  volume, 
but  what  I  do  offer  will,  I  trust,  be  up  to  the  mark. 

All  workmen  in  wood  require  two  saws,  namely,  a 
cross-cut  saw,  and  a  rip-saw.  The  shape  of  the  teeth 
in  these  saws  differs,  also  the  size,  and  each  requires  a 
special  form  of  tooth  and  a  different  style  of  filing. 

Many  workmen  think  that  so  long  as  the  tooth  of  a- 
saw  has  a  sharp  edge  the  shape  of  the  tooth  is  a  matter 


cr:  ~.  . g", 

Fig.  77 

of  small  importance,  and  as  a  result  of  this  ignorance 
or  indifference  they  are  always  in  trouble  with  their 
saws,  and  their  work  becomes  much  more  laborious 
than  if  proper  attention  had  been  paid  to  the  shape  of 
the  teeth.  Substances  of  different  texture  cannot  be 
cut  advantageously  with  the  same  tool;  in  fact,  the 
tool  must  be  adapted  to  the  work  if  the  best  all¬ 
round  results  are  to  be  produced.  Fig.  77  illustrates 
a  form  of  tooth  suitable  for  an  ordinary  hand  rip-saw. 
The  tooth  points  number  about  four  to  the  inch,  and 
the  front  of  the  tooth  is  upright,  that  is,  at  an  angle 
of  go°.  The  face  of  the  tooth  should  be  filed  to  an 
angle  of  85°  to  87°,  or  30  to  50  from  the  square.  Some 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


77 


experts  contend  that  the  teeth  of  a  rip-saw  should  be 
filed  dead  square.  The  object  in  filing  them  a  little 
on  the  bevel  is  that  the  teeth  may  cut  more  freely  and 
easily  when  they  have  become  a  bit  dull,  there  being 
then  what  is  termed  a  little  clearance  cut  in  the  teeth. 
In  nearly  all  timber  there  is,  it  is  well  known,  a  certain 


KIn/vN; 


Fig.  78 


amount  of  fiber  to  be  cut  either  directly  or  obliquely 
across,  and  teeth  that  are  filed  square  will  not,  whether 
they  are  sharp  or  dull,  divide  this  fiber  so  easily  as 
teeth  that  have  a  slight  bevel. 

The  illustration,  Fig.  77,  shows  a  saw  tooth  that 
works  quite  well  in  the  softer  woods,  but  for  the  harder 


:  ■  i 

_ . _ ; 


Fig.  79 


woods  a  little  more  plane  or  angle  on  the  cutting  edge 
would  cause  the  saw  to  cut  with  less  labor;  and  if  there 
were  about  five  teeth  to  the  inch,  it  would  cut  with  ease 
any  kind  of  hardwood. 

The  teeth  shown  in  Fig.  78  are  well  suited  to  a  hand 
saw  used  for  cross-cutting  soft  wood.  The  tooth 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


7'8 

points  in  this  saw  may  number  five  or  six  to  the  inch. 
The  front  of  the  tooth  slopes  at  an  angle  of  about  105°. 
The  face  of  the  tooth  in  sharpening  should  be  filed  to 
an  angle  of  from  550  to  6o°.  The  softer  the  timber 
that  is  to  be  cross-cut,  the  more  acute  should  be  the 
angle  of  the  teeth,  as  the  keener  edge  separates  the 
fibers  more  easily.  Fig.  79  shows  a  form  of  hand  saw 


/ 


tooth  suitable  for  cross-cutting  hardwood.  The  number 
of  tooth  points  may  be  from  six  to  eight  to  the  inch, 
and  the  front  of  the  tooth  should  slope  at  an  angle  of 
iio°  to  1 1 5 0 ,  according  to  the  hardness  of  the  timber 
to  be  sawed.  The  face  of  this  tooth  should  be  filed  to 
an  angle  of  70°  to  750,  because  the  cutting  edge  must 

be  less  acute  owing  to  hard¬ 
wood  fibers  being  more  com¬ 
pact  than  those  of  soft  wood. 

The  whole  number  of  saws 
made  use  of  by  the  wood¬ 
worker  amounts  to  some  six  or  eight,  comprising  the 
rip,  cross-cut,  hand,  panel,  tenon,  dovetail,  bow  or 
turning,  and  keyhole.  The  hand  saw  type  includes 
the  hand  saw  proper,  the  ripping,  half-ripping,  and 
panel  saws,  all  of  similar  outline,  but  differing  in 
dimensions,  and  in  form  and  size  of  teeth.  There  is 
no  sharp  distinction  between  these  tools,  as  they  merge 


Fig.  81 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


79 


one  into  the  other;  yet  at  the  extremes  it  would  be 
impossible  to  substitute  the  ripping  and  panel  saws 
one  for  the  other.  The  hand 
saw,  however,  which  is  a  kind 
of  compromise  between  ex¬ 
tremes,  is  used  indiscriminately 
for  all  purposes. 

A  tenon,  or  back-saw,  is  , 
shown  in  Fig.  80.  It  is  made 
in  different  lengths,  and  the 
blades  are  not  all  made  the 
same  width.  The  dovetail  saw 
is  a  back-saw  with  a  very  thin 
blade;  it  is  not  much  used  in 
this  country,  only  by  Euro¬ 
peans.  It  is  intended  especially  for  very  fine  work. 
The  other  saws  named  are  for  special  purposes,  and 

need  not  be  described  here. 
The  methods  of  filing,  how¬ 
ever,  are  about  the  same  as 
described  for  the  saws  first 
named,  with  the  exception 
of  the  bow  or  scroll  saw. 
This  saw,  which  is  intended 
to  cut  with  and  across  the 
grain,  or  obliquely  to  it, 
should  have  its  teeth  filed 
with  a  sharper  plane  than  a 
rip-saw,  but  not  quite  so 
sharp  as  a  cross-cut  saw;  in 
other  words,  it  wants  a 
hybrid  tooth,  “between  and 
betwixt”  a  cross-cut  and  a  rip-saw  tooth.  (See  Fig.  81.) 

The  set  of  a  saw  is  important,  and  this  is  shown  in 


8o 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


Figs.  77,  78,  82  and  83.  The  teeth  at  both  point  and 
butt  of  a  hand  saw  should  be  very  slightly  smaller  than 
those  in  the  middle,  as  it  is  at  the  last-named  point 
where  the  greatest  force  is  exerted  in  every  down 
stroke.  But  it  is  absolutely  necessary  that  the  set  is 
the  same  from  point  to  butt  of  every  saw,  whether  rip 
or  cross-cut.  The  middle  of  the  cutting  edge  of  a 
cross-cut  saw  should  be  slightly  rounded,  being 
highest  at  about  the  middle.  The  saw  being  still  in 


the  saw  vise,  insert  the  file  in  a  handle,  and  grasp  it 
with  the  right  hand,  taking  the  point  of  file  in  the  left, 
as  shown  in  Fig.  84.  Place  the  file  against  the  face  of 
that  tooth  nearest  the  handle  that  inclines  away  from 
the  worker,  holding  the  file  at  an  angle  with  the  blade 
or  saw  as  shown  in  Fig.  84.  Then  lower  the  right 
hand  to  about  the  angle  shown  in  Fig.  85  (which  shows 
the  left  hand  removed).  The  file  should  be  held 
obliquely  across  the  saw  blade,  as  in  Figs.  83  and  84, 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


81 


the  point  end  of  the  file  being  inclined  towards  the 
saw  handle  as  illustrated  by  Fig.  84.  Gently  push  the 
file  forwards,  lifting  it  at  the  end  of  stroke,  returning 
it,  and  again  pushing  it,  until  the  point  of  the  tooth 
has  a  keen  edge.  Repeat  this  upon  each  alternate 
tooth  until  all  upon  one  side  are  sharpened.  Serve  the 
other  side  in  the  same  manner.  Be  careful  not  to  press 
the  file  against  the  back  of  the  tooth,  as  unevenness 
will  surely  result. 

Keep  all  saws  slightly  rounding  on  the  edge.  The 
rip-saw  and  the  hand  saw  may  have  a  full  quarter  of 
an  inch  rounding  with  advantage.  All  saws,  except 
circulars,  have 
a  constant  ten¬ 
dency  to  get 
hollow,  and  this 
must  be  pre¬ 
vented;  and  the 
only  way  to  pre¬ 
vent  it  is  to  file 
the  teeth  down  by  passing  a  partly-worn  file  along 
the  edges  till  it  touches  every  tooth.  Then,  in 
filing  the  teeth,  take  care  only  just  to  take  out  this 
bright  mark — not  one  touch  more  or  that  tooth  will 
be  shorter  than  its  neighbors.  A  saw  properly  sharp¬ 
ened,  and  in  good  order,  has  each  tooth  do  its  proper 
share  of  cutting  and  no  more. 

Sharpening  Tenon  Saws. — Sharpening  tenon  saws  is 
practically  the  same  as  sharpening  hand  saws.  It  may 
happen,  however,  that  some  of  the  teeth  will  be  much 
larger  than  others,  this  being  due  to  the  file  not 
having  been  held  at  the  same  angle  in  sharpening 
each  tooth.  Fig.  81  shows  the  saw  teeth  improperly 
sharpened,  the  front  of  the  large  teeth  inclining  much 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


more  than  the  front  of  the  small  teeth.  If  the  teeth 
in  one  range  are  found  to  be  filed  smaller  than  those 
in  the  other,  file  the  back  of  the  smaller  teeth  to  a 
more  acute  angle,  keeping  the  file  at  the  same  time 
well  against  the  front  of  the  other  tooth  at  the  bot¬ 
tom,  and  see  before  the  filing  is  finished,  that  the  front 
of  the  next  tooth  has  been  filed  up  to  its  point,  as  it 
is  the  front,  not  the  back,  of  the  tooth  that  does  the 
cutting.  To  regulate  the  teeth  of  the  saw,  file  every 
tooth  in  succession,  shooting  the  file  straight  across 
the  teeth.  After  filing  all  the  teeth  from  one  side, 
turn  the  saw,  and  file  as  before  from  the  other  side. 
When  the  teeth  are  fairly  regular,  the  flat  file  may  be 
run  over  them  lightly.  This  will  bring  the  teeth 
uniform  in  length.  Now  file  every  alternate  tooth, 
first  on  one  side  and  then  on  the  other  side  of  the  saw, 
as  shown  in  Fig.  84.  Hold  the  file  as  nearly  as 
possible  to  the  same  angle  in  each  case,  as  it  is  on 
this  filing  that  the  regularity  of  the  teeth  depends. 
When  all  the  flat  places  caused  by  the  file  when 
topping  the  teeth  disappear,  cease  filing,  as  any  further 
filing  may  cause  low  teeth,  which  tend  to  make  the 
saw  cut  irregularly.  When  the  saw  is  so  filed  that  all 
the  teeth  get  their  equal  share  of  cutting,  the  saw  may 
be  said  to  be  well  filed.  When  the  teeth  are  filed  as 
shown  in  Fig.  83,  there  is  a  larger  and  better  cutting 
edge  than  with  the  one  more  obtuse.  If  the  points 
only  of  the  teeth  are  allowed  to  do  the  work,  the  action 
is  a  scratching  and  not  a  cutting  one. 

One  of  the  great  difficulties  in  hand  sharpening  is  to 
get  the  bevels  of  the  teeth  exactly  alike.  A  number 
of  mechanical  arrangements  to  guide  the  saw  and 
effect  this  object  have  been  tried  with  more  or  less 
success.  In  one  of  the  best  of  these  devices  a  circular 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


83 


casting  is  divided  and  indexed  from  its  center  each 
way,  giving  bevels  for  each  side  of  the  saw,  or  square 
across.  The  file  is  fitted  into  a  guide,  and  is  held  by 
a  set-screw.  The  index  shows  the  pitch  at  which  the 
file  is  set,  and  a  rod  passes  through  holes  in  a  graduat¬ 
ing  ring  and  guides  the  file.  The  frame  upon  which 
the  ring  is  held  slides  in  grooves  cut  on  each  side  of 
the  vise  in  which  the  saw  is  fixed;  a  table  connected 
with  the  guide  is  arranged  and  indexed  so  as  to  give 
the  required  bevel  and  pitch  for  the  kind  of  saw  to 
be  filed,  and  it  is  only  necessary  to  set  the  ring  for 
the  bevel,  and  the  indicator  for 
the  pitch,  and  the  apparatus  is 
ready  for  use.  As  the  filing  is 
proceeded  with  from  tooth  to 
tooth,  the  frame  follows,  giving 
to  each  tooth  on  one  side  of  the 
saw  the  same  bevel,  pitch,  and 
size  as  on  the  other,  thus  leaving 
the  saw,  when  filing  is  finished, 
with  the  teeth  all  uniform  in  size, 
pitch,  and  bevel,  so  that  each  tooth 
will  doits  share  of  cutting  equally 

with  the  others,  thus  turning  out  more  and  better  qual¬ 
ity  of  work  with  less  expenditure  of  energy.  An  old- 
fashioned  way  of  getting  the  right  angle  of  a  tooth  of  a 
hand  saw  in  filing  is  shown  by  Fig.  86.  A  hand  saw  blade 
is  narrowest  in  width  at  the  point,  and  broadest  at  the 
butt;  and  the  slope  of  the  back,  compared  with  the 
line  of  teeth,  is  almost  always  uniform  for  all  saws; 
and  if  a'  square  be  placed  against  this  back,  a  tooth 
may  be  filed  whose  cutting  edge  is  perfectly  in  line 
with  the  edge  of  the  square.  All  the  teeth  being  thus 
filed  and  afterwards  set,  a  saw  which  will  answer 


Fig.  86 


§4 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


general  purposes  is  produced,  and  one  which  will  suit 
the  worker  who  has  but  one  hand  saw.  It  will  cross¬ 
cut  soft  woods  and  rip  hard  woods,  thus  being  a  kind 
of  half-rip.  Moreover,  this  square  may  be  used  as  a 
gauge,  the  teeth  not  necessarily  being  filed  as  shown; 
and  if  the  rake  or  lead  be  very  much,  an  adjustable 
bevel  may  be  used. 

PLANES  GENERALLY 

In  workshop  practice,  planes  are  the  tools  chiefly 
used  for  smoothing  the  surface  of  wood  after  it  has 
been  sawed  to  approximate  size.  In  its  simplest  form, 

a  plane  is  a  chisel  firmly  fixed 
into  a  block  of  wood  by  which 
it  is  guided  in  its  cut,  and  the 
amount  of  wood  taken  off  in 
the  form  of  a  shaving  is  reg¬ 
ulated  to  a  nicety.  In  fact, 
such  a  simple  tool  actually  is 
used  sometimes,  when  a  proper 
plane  of  the  requisite  shape 
and  of  a  suitable  size  cannot  be  procured.  To  make 
the  construction  of  an  ordinary  plane  quite  clear,  a 
section  of  one  is  illustrated  by  Fig.  87,  in  which  A 
shows  the  section  of  stock;  B,  the  wedge;  C,  cutting 
iron;  D,  back  iron;  E,  the  screw  for  fastening  irons 
together;  and  F  is  the  mouth  through  which  the 
shavings  pass  upwards.  A  plane  is  simply  a  copying 
tool,  and  a  notch  in  the  plane-iron  at  once  proves  that 
the  pattern  produced  corresponds  with  the  edge  of 
the  plane-iron,  and  all  the  imperfections  of  this  edge 
will  be  copied  on  to  the  stuff.  In  all  planing  oper¬ 
ations  the  edge  of  the  tool  is  the  pattern,  which  is 
copied  in  reverse  on  the  wood.  If  a  hollow  is  required 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


85 


to  be  produced  on  the  wood,  a  tool  is  used  with  a 
round  edge  of  exactly  similar  form  to  the  hollow  we 
wish  produced.  In  machine  planing  the  pattern  is  the 
edge  of  the  tool,  which  produces  a  similar  surface 
upon  the  wood. 

Direction  of  Grain  in  Planes. — For  flat  planes  such  as 
jack,  try,  and  smoothing  planes,  the  grain  must  be 
straight  and,  of  course,  run  lengthways  of  the  tool. 
The  wood  is  selected  from  a  center  plank  of  beech  as 
near  to  the  bark  as  possible;  in  all  planes,  the  wood 
nearest  the  bark,  that  being  the  hardest  part  of  the 
wood,  becomes  the  sole  or  working  surface.  The  wood 
is  seasoned  thoroughly,  and  never  is  used  until  at 
least  three  years  after  cutting.  Moulding  planes 
mostly  work  on  the  spring,  and  need  not  have  the 
grain  so  straight  as  flat  planes.  Hollows,  rounds,  and 
rebate  planes  are  exceptional,  however,  and  should 
have  the  grain  as  straight  as  possible,  because  the 
rebate  plane  is  cut  right  through,  and  is  liable  to  cast 
or  warp  if  not  quite  straight-grained;  and  most  of  the 
hollows  and  rounds,  being  thin,  are  liable  to  cast  also 
if  not  of  straight,  mild,  and  well-seasoned  wood. 
Wood  for  plane  making  should  be  as  free  from  knots 
as  possible. 

Jack  and  Trying  Planes. 7- The  jack  plane,  Fig.  88,  is 
the  first  applied  to  the  wood  after  it  has  been  sawed. 
This  plane  is  always  employed  to  remove  the  rough¬ 
ness  of  the  work  before  finishing  up  with  trying  and 
smoothing  planes.  It  is  made  up  of  five  parts — 
namely,  the  stock  (which  should  be  17  in.  in  length), 
the  toat  or  handle,  the  wedge,  the  cutting  iron  or 
cutter  (2 }i  in.  broad),  and  back  iron.  Immediately 
behind  the  iron  is  a  handle,  which,  in  use,  is  grasped 
only  by  the  right  hand  in  planing  fir;  but  in  heavy 


86 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


planing,  and  especially  in  hardwood,  it  is  necessary  to 
place  the  left  hand  across  the  front  of  the  plane  to 
press  it  down,  to  cause  the  iron  to  take  hold  of  the 
wood.  When  using  both  hands  to  the  plane,  the  left 
is  placed  with  the  four  fingers  lying  across  the  top 
near  the  fore  end,  the  thumb  passing  down  the  near 
side.  Well-seasoned  beech  is  a  suitable  wood  for  the 
stock.  The  construction  of  the  trying  or  truing 
plane  is  almost  exactly  the  same  as  that  of  the  jack 


plane,  but  it  is  much  longer,  so  as  to  produce  truer 
surfaces. 

Using  the  Plane. — When  using  the  plane,  always  keep 
the  plane  well  oiled  in  front  of  the  iron;  be  sure  and 
work  with  the  grain  as  shown  in  Fig.  89,  whenever 
possible.  A  far  thicker  shaving  can  be  taken  off 
smoothly  in  this  way  than  if  worked  as  shown  in  Fig. 
90,  which  is  working  against  the  grain  and  requires 
more  careful  work  with  a  more  finely  set  plane.  Do 
not  use  the  plane  at  an  uncomfortable  height.  When 
the  board  to  be  planed  is  in  position,  and  the  worker 
takes  hold  of  the  plane  ready  to  begin  work,  a  line 
drawn  through  his  elbow  and  wrist  should  be  rather 
lower  than  higher  at  the  wrist,  though  if  the  forearm  is 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


8  7 


level  it  will  do  fairly  well.  Do  not  attempt  to  take  off 
thick  shavings  at  the  outset,  and  do  not  be  dis¬ 
appointed  if  a  shaving  is  not  taken  off  from  end  to 
end  at  the  first  trial.  If  the  wood  has  any  hollow  in 
it,  it  will  be  impossible  to  do  this,  and  even  if  it  is 
perfectly  straight  it  is  sometimes  difficult  to  do  it. 


There  is  always  a  tendency  to  plane  off  too  much  near 
the  bench  stop,  as  the  arm  is  apt  to  be  raised  at  this 
point.  Errors  of  this  kind  can  be  avoided  by  careful 
practice  and  attention.  It  is  a  good  idea  to  try  to 
plane  the  center  of  the  material  rather  than  the  margin, 
for  if  a  good  plane  is  in  proper  order  it  is  impossible 
to  make  the  work  too  hollow  or  concave;  whereas, 


however  good  the  plane,  careless  use  of  it  can  and  will 
make  the  work  convex  in  every  direction. 

In  making  use  of  the  smoothing  plane  for  finishing 
up  stuff,  it  should  be  held  as  shown  in  Fig.  91,  the 
right  hand  grasping  it  firmly  at  the  back,  whilst  the 
left  hand  steadies  it  in  front.  In  starting,  the  tool  is 


88 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


applied  to  the  fore-end  of  the  board,  and  gradually 
worked  backwards,  thus  taking  out  any  marks  pre¬ 
viously  used  tools  may  have  made.  It  should  be  held 
firmly,  and  lifted  sharply  at  the  end  of  stroke,  or  a 
mark  will  be  left  where  the  plane 
finished.  The  work  is  continued 
until  the  board  presents  a  per¬ 
fectly  smooth  surface,  without 
marks  of  any  kind.  The  left  hand 
should  frequently  be  passed  across 
the  face  of  the  board,  as  any 
marks  made  by  the  plane  can  be 
readily  detected  in  this  manner.  It  may  also  with 
advantage  be  held  so  that  the  light  passes  across  its 
surface  from  the  side,  thus  showing  up  imperfect 
planing.  Should  there  be  too  much  iron  out,  a  few 
blows  with  the  hammer  at  the  back  of  the  plane  will 
draw  it  back.  Take  care  to  tighten  up  the  wedge 
again.  A  few  drops  of  linseed  oil  applied  to  the  face 
of  the  plane  will  facilitate  the  planing. 

The  proper  method  of  setting  an  iron  in  a  plane  so 
that  it  will  not  show  lines  or  marks  on  the  work,  is 
sometimes  quite  a  difficult  operation,  as  the  iron  is 


Fig.  91 


Fig.  92 


expected  to  be  perfectly  square  and  straight  on  the 
face.  It  is  always  well  to  either  round  off  the  corners 
of  the  iron  slightly,  or  grind  them  with  a  slight  bevel, 
which  will  keep  the  corners  from  “digging  in,” 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


89 


The  smaller,  or  break-iron,  whose  office  is  to  bend 
up  the  shaving  somewhat  sharply  so  as  to  ensure  the 
cutting  of  the  other  iron,  and  to  prevent  its  splitting 
off  the  surface  of  the  work,  should  be  placed  so  as  to 
come  within  one-eighth  of  an  inch  of  the  extreme 
'edge  of  the  cutter  for  rough  work,  and  within  one- 
twentieth  for  finer  or  finishing  work.  The  two  should 
then  be  placed  in  position  so  that  the  edge  projects  the 
smallest  possible  degree  below  the  sole.  The  position 
can  only  be  determined  by  looking  carefully  along  the 


Fig.  93 


bottom  of  the  plane,  with  the  front  of  the  same  next 
to  the  eye,  as  in  Fig.  92.  The  edge  will,  if  correctly 
formed  and  placed,  appear  quite  parallel  with  the  sole. 
It  is  then  ready  for  use.  The  same  rule  applies  to  the 
small  as  to  the  large  planes,  except  that  in  the  jack- 
plane  the  iron  projects  rather  more,  as  it  is  used  for 
roughing  down  a  surface.  The  trying-plane,  which  is 
longer,  as  before  stated,  and  intended  for  edging 
boards  which  are  to  be  joined  lengthwise,  is  always 
very  finely  set,  and  the  mouth  is  narrow.  The  break* 


90 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


iron  is  also  set  very  close  down  to  the  cutting  edge. 
The  longer  the  plane  the  more  accurately  level  and 
true  will  be  the  work  done  by  it. 

New  planes  are  often  a  source  of  trouble  owing  to 
the  shavings  getting  fast  in  the  mouth,  the  plane 
refusing  to  take  any  more  until  the  wedge  and  iron 
have  been  removed,  and  all  cleaned  out.  The  cause 
of  this  difficulty  is  that  the  mouth  of  the  plane  is  too 
narrow,  as  shown  in  Fig.  93.  Sometimes  workmen  cut 


Fig.  94 


a  little  out  with  a  chisel,  but  in  many  instances  this 
results  in  spoiling  the  tool,  because  in  a  short  time 
the  bottom  of  the  plane  wears  away,  and  the  mouth 
gets  larger,  subsequently  getting  so  large  as  to  require 
a  piece  to  be  set  in  to  lessen  the  opening.  The  mouth 
of  the  plane  can  be  kept  open  as  long  as  needed  by 
gluing  a  strip  of  soft  leather,  about  three-fourths  of 
an  inch  wide,  in  the  mouth  of  the  plane  under  the  top 
end  of  the  iron  as  shown  in  Fig.  94.  When  the  plane 
bottom  is  sufficiently  worn  the  leather  can  be  removed 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


9i 


and  the  iron  put  back  into  its  original  position.  The 
leather  causes  the  iron  to  be  more  upright,  and  con¬ 
sequently  there  is  a  larger  opening  in  the  mouth  (two 
thicknesses  can  be  put  under  if  necessary). 

Pitch  of  Plane  Cutting  Iron. — To  assist  the  reader  to 
understand  correctly  the  principles  of  plane-iron 
sharpening,  the  following  information  is  given.  The 
seat  of  the  plane-iron  is  made  at  different  angles,  to 
give  the  pitch  to  suit  different  kinds  of  work.  The 
four  angles  most  in  use  are  as  follows:  Common 
pitch,  in  which  the  seat  for  the  back  of  the  iron  is  at 
an  angle  of  450  from  the  sole  (this  inclination  is 
usually  employed  for  all 
planes  for  soft  wood);  New 
York  pitch,  which  has  an 
angle  of  50°,  and  is  adapted 
for  use  with  mahogany  and 
other  hard,  stringy  woods; 
middle  pitch  or  5  5 0 ,  and 
half  pitch  or  6o°,  which  are 
employed  with  moulding 
planes,  the  former  being  for 
soft  wood  and  the  latter  for  the  harder  kinds.  Fig.  95 
affords  an  idea  of  three  angles,  A  giving  the  set  of  a 
half-pitched  plane,  B  that  of  an  ordinary  plane,  while 
C  shows  the  inclination  of  an  extra-pitched  plane. 
The  pitch  or  angle  at  which  the  cutter  is  set  is  of 
importance.  There  are  three  angles  involved  in  this 
case:  (1)  The  angle  between  the  cutter  and  the 

surface  of  the  work;  this  should  be  as  small  an  angle 
as  possible.  It  is  obvious  that  if  the  surfaces  of  the 
cutter  and  the  work  were  perfectly  parallel,  the  cutter 
would  glide  over  the  surface  without  cutting,  except 
under  great  pressure.  By  making  the  cutter  edge 


92 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


rather  than  its  whole  surface  touch  the  work,  the 
tendency  to  cut  and  to  continue  the  contact  is  secured. 
The  angle,  which  may  be  called  the  clearance  angle, 
or  the  back  angle,  should  only  be  enough  to  secure  this 
condition  of  contact.  (2)  The  angle  of  the  cutter 
itself.  The  more  acute  this  angle  the  better,  if  only 

the  material  will  stand  the 
strain  and  face  the  work  with¬ 
out  losing  its  edge.  (3)  The 
front  or  remaining  angle 
may  be  found  by  subtracting 
both  (1)  and  (2)  from  1800, 
if  dealing  with  plane  sur¬ 
faces,  and  is  available  for 
the  passing  away  of  the  waste 
material;  in  the  case  of  the  plane,  however,  this  is  lim¬ 
ited,  in  order  to  provide  means  to  prevent  the  shaving 
being  torn  up  in  advance  of  the  cutting  action.  This 
provision  is  made  by  the  front  portion  of  the  plane, 
and  to  be  efficacious  must  be  in  contact  with  the  work 
and  as  near  the  edge  of  the  cutter  as  possible  to  allow 
waste  to  escape.  A  few 
experiments  with  a  knife 
will  show  that  for  soft  ma¬ 
terials  a  slight  angle  is 
best.  This  involves  a  thin 
knife,  and  its  side  almost 
in  contact  with  the  mate¬ 
rial  fo  be  cut;  but  as  harder 
things  are  tried  the  stiff¬ 
ness  of  the  cutter,  and  the  consequent  angle,  must 
be  increased,  not  because  it  is  merely  desirable,  but 
because  it  is  absolutely  necessary  to  have  a  stronger 
cutter.  The  more  upright  an  iron  is  set,  the  less 


Fig.  97 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


93 


liable  is  it  to  tear  up  the  wood  in  planing;  but  in 
the  same  degree  the  iron  loses  its  edge  more  quickly, 
is  more  likely  to  jump  and  chatter,  and  is  more 
laborious  to  work.  In  toothing  planes  the  irons  are 
set  upright,  and  in  “old  woman’s  tooth,”  planes  or 
routers  nearly  upright.  In  working  with  an  upright 
iron,  the  action  of  the  tool  is  a  scraping  one,  while 
the  more  the  iron  is  inclined  the  nearer  it  ap¬ 
proaches  the  action  of  splitting  the  wood.  For  this 
reason  an  ordinary  or  extra-pitched  plane  is  more 
liable  to  splinter  up  the  surface  of  a  piece  of  work; 
but  this  accident  may  be  in  great  measure  prevented 
by  using  a  properly  adjusted  back  iron.  Moulding 

planes,  rounds  and  hollows,  bead  _ _ 

planes,  and  others  that  work  without  ^ — 

a  back  iron,  are  usually  preferred  Fig.  98 

set  to  the  half-pitch  angle;  while  for 
working  on  end-grained  stuff,  extra-pitched  tools,  such 
as  shoulder  and  bull-nosed  planes,  give  the  best  results. 
In  examining  the  side  of  a  plane-iron,  it  is  found  to  be 
made  up  of  an  iron  back  faced  with  steel.  The  steel, 
welded  on  to  the  iron  and  distinguished  by  its 
brighter  color  and  finer  grain,  acts  as  a  cutting  edge, 
the  iron  being  required  to  give  sufficient  stiffness  to 
prevent  chattering.  When  newly  ground  and 
sharpened,  a  plane-iron  has  three  angles,  one  due  to 
the  pitch,  A,  Fig.  97,  one  made  by  the  grindstone,  B, 
and  one  made  by  the  oilstone,  C.  The  angles  A  and  B 
do  not  alter,  but  C  gradually  becomes  more  acute  with 
sharpening  on  the  oilstone,  until  it  lines  with  the  face 
of  the  plane,  as  in  Fig.  98,  when  the  iron  refuses  to 
cut  properly,  and  requires  grinding.  The  pitch  angle 
A  (Fig.  96)  varies  in  planes  by  different  makers,  as 
described  above. 


94 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


Oilstones  for  Sharpening  Plane  Irons. —A  good  oilstone, 
capable  of  putting  a  keen  edge  on  the  plane  irons,  is 
a  necessity  to  all  woodworkers,  but  more  particularly 
to  the  hardwood  finisher.  The  Washita  stone,  manu¬ 
factured  by  the  Pike  Mfg.  Co.,  or  other  fast  cutting 
stones  are  useful  for  removing  the  waste  or  superfluous 
metal  from  the  iron  when  it  is  too  thick;  but  it  is 
seldom  that  one  of  these  stones  can  be  trusted  to  leave 
a  keen  edge  on  the  tool.  Turkey  and  Washita  stones 
are  the  only  ones  that  have  the  two  good  qualities 
combined  of  cutting  quickly  and  leaving  a  good  edge. 


Most  other  oilstones  are 
slow  cutters,  but  they  are 
to  be  relied  on  for  leaving 
a  good,  keen  edge.  It  is 
necessary  that  the  oilstone 
should  be  kept  perfectly 
level,  or  it  will  not  be  pos¬ 
sible  to  get  a  true  edge. 
The  stone  should  also  be 
free  from  grit,  or  the  iron 
will  be  gapped  in  sharpen¬ 
ing,  and  will  leave  ridges 
on  the  planed  work.  In 
sharpening  the  iron  after  it 


Fig.  99 


has  been  newly  ground,  the  hands  should  be  kept  low  to 
make  the  bevel  correspond  nearly  with  that  made  by 
the  grindstone.  As  time  goes  on,  when  the  iron  is 
resharpened  the  hands  are  kept  a  little  higher  upon 
each  occasion  (see  Fig.  97),  until  it  becomes  thick,  as 
in  Fig.  98;  then  it  must  be  again  put  upon  the  grind¬ 
stone.  Some  workers  find  it  convenient  to  use  two 
oilstones— one  as  a  quick  cutter,  to  some  extent  super¬ 
seding  the  grindstorie,  the  other  for  finishing  the  edge. 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


9$ 

In  using  the  oilstone,  first  put  a  few  drops  of  good  oil 
upon  the  stone,  and  grasp  the  iron  as  in  Fig.  99;  the 
right  hand  is  at  the  top,  and  the  thumb  and  fourth 
finger  pass  under.  Place 
the  whole  of  the  fingers 
of  the  left  hand  upon 
the  iron,  with  the  thumb 
at  the  back,  as  seen. 

Now  put  the  cutting 
edge  (previously  ground 
to  a  bevel)  upon  the 
stone  in  an  oblique  di¬ 
rection,  as  shown  in 
Fig.  99,  bearing  in  mind  the  previous  remarks  on  the 
necessary  inclination.  The  iron  should  now  be  rubbed 
up  and  down  the  stone,  pressing  it  down  with  both  hands. 
If  the  edge  had  been  examined  before  placing  it  upon 
the  stone,  it  would  have  been  found  to  show  a  fine  white 
line.  The  object  of  sharp¬ 
ening  is  to  remove  this, 
which  must  be  done  by 
rubbing  on  an  oilstone. 

Having  accomplished  this, 
turn  the  iron  face  down 
upon  the  stone,  and  rub  it 
lightly  a  few  times  (see 
Fig.  100).  The  iron  should 
now  have  the  appearances 


Fig.  101  Fig.  102 

indicated  by  Fig.  101.  If  the  face  of  the  iron  has  not 
been  kept  perfectly  flat,  it  would  appear  as  Fig.  98, 


96 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


and  would  be  of  no  use  as  a  cutting  iron.  If  the  iron 
has  been  rubbed  too  long,  a  wire  edge  will  appear  and 
utterly  spoil  the  cutting  properties  of  the  iron  unless 
removed.  This  may  readily  be  done  by  rubbing  the 
iron  alternately  upon  each  side  until  the  wire  edge 
falls  off. 

When  the  iron  is  judged  to  be  sufficiently  sharp,  it 
should  be  cleaned,  whetted  on  the  left  hand,  and  its 
edge  tried  for  keenness.  Some  try  the  edge  by  passing 
the  thumb  gently  across  it,  but  its  sharpness  may  be 
judged  by  looking  directly  at  it.  In  a  sharp  tool  the 
edge  is  not  visible  to  the  naked  eye,  while  if  the  iron 
should  be  blunt,  the  edge  will  be  seen  as  a  bright  line. 


SECRET  OR  BLIND  NAILING 

Secret  nailing  is  sometimes  called  “blind  nailing,” 
also  “chip  nailing”  and  “sliver  nailing,”  and  is  the 
art  of  finishing  work  in  a  manner  which  leaves  no 
mark  of  nail  holes  or  screw  heads  exposed  to  view, 
which,  under  the  ordinary  method  of  doing  work, 
would  require  puttying  before  the  painter  could  apply 
the  finish. 

The  process  of  secret  nailing  is  only  used  on 
occasional  jobs  of  hardwood  finish  where  an  extra  fine 
job  is  required.  The  process  is  very  simple  and  can 
be  followed  by  any  mechanic  of  ordinary  skill  and 
ability.  Take  a  very  thin  and  sharp  paring  chisel,  ^4 
to  y2  inch  wide,  to  raise  the  “chip.”  A  sharp  knife 
should  be  used  to  make  two  cuts  with  the  grain  of  the 
wood,  the  width  of  the  chisel  apart,  to  keep  the  sides 
of  the  chip  from  splitting.  The  chisel  should  be  set  at 
a  steep  angle  at  first,  till  the  proper  depth  is  reached, 
and  then  made  to  turn  out  a  piece  of  wood  of  even 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


97 

thickness,  about  a  sixteenth  of  an  inch  or  near  it,  and 
of  sufficient  length  to  admit  of  driving  the  nail  or 
screw.  Care  should  be  taken  in  raising  the  “chip” 
not  to  give  it  too  sharp  a  curve  or  too  great  a  thick¬ 
ness,  as  it  is  liable  to  break  off  while  being  straightened 
out  again. 

Some  mechanics  prefer  a  gouge  for  raising  the 
“chip”;  the  gouge  should  be  to  ^  of  an  inch  wide 
and  of  a  quick  curve.  In  this  case  no  knife  is  needed, 
as  the  corners  of  the 
gouge  will  cut  the  wood 
as  it  advances.  The 
cut  being  made  and  the 
“chip”  properly  raised, 
a  nail  or  screw  may  be 
driven  in. 

See  that  the  nail  or 
screw  head  is  sunk  be¬ 
low  the  surface  of  the 
recess,  so  that  the 
“chip”  will  fit  back  in 
again  without  any  ob¬ 
struction.  Now  take  „ 

.  ,  .  Fig.  103 

properly  prepared  glue 

and  apply  to  the  “chip”  and  recess,  and  press  the 
“chip”  firmly  in  place,  rubbing  the  face  with  a  smooth 
block  till  the  glue  holds,  and  finish  by  using  a  little 
sandpaper. 

If  theie  is  any  difficulty  about  the  “chip”  breaking 
off,  moisten  the  wood  with  a  little  water  applied  with 
a  sponge  to  the  part  where  the  “chip”  is  to  be  raised. 
This  will  be  found  to  be  a  great  advantage  if  working 
on  brittle  wood. 

As  stated  previously,  when  putting  up  hardwood 


98  HARDWOOD  FINISHER 

finish,  where  it  is  desired  that  no  nail  or  screw  heads 
should  be  in  sight,  it  is  always  better  to  make  use  of 
glue  whenever  possible;  this  will  be  found  to  be  much 
more  satisfactory  than  blind  nailing. 

The  methods  of  secret  nailing,  as  described  in  the 

foregoing,  are 
shown  in  the  dia¬ 
grams,  Figs.  103 
and  104.  The  first 
shows  how  a  square 
chip  is  raised  so 
that  a  screw  or  nail 
can  be  put  in  place, 
after  which  the 
raised  chip  a  can 
be  glued  down  in 
place,  covering  the 
head  of  nail  or 
screw. 

Fig.  104  shows  how  the  work  is  done  by  using  a 
gouge  instead  of  a  chisel. 

Sometimes  blind  nailing  is  done  by  driving  headless 
nails  in  the  edge  of  the  work,  “toe-nailing”  them  in 
the  work  just  as  matched  flooring  is  laid.  This  is  not 
a  satisfactory  way  to  do  work  and  is  not  recommended, 
though  there  are  cases  where  it  will  answer  quite  well. 


PART  TWO 


PART  TWO 


WOOD  FILLERS  AND  HOW  TO  APPLY  THEM 

There  is  no  part  of  the  art  of  wood-finishing  that  is 
more  important  than  that  of  the  filling,  and  the 
greatest  of  care  should  be  exercised  both  in  the  choice 
of  filler  and  the  manner  in  which  it  is  applied.  The 
stain  given  to  it  must  also  be  considered,  in  order  that 
the  color  and  texture  of  the  wood  being  finished  may 
not  be  disfigured  or  spoiled. 

Fillers  are  used  by  all  expert  polishers  for  much  the 
same  reason  that  size  is  used  before  varnishing — viz., 
to  prevent  immoderate  absorption  of  the  polish  by 
the  wood.  Polish,  or  even  thick  varnish,  when  applied 
to  wood,  sinks  in  or  is  absorbed  in  places,  instead  of 
remaining  on  the  surface  in  a  uniform  coat.  Here 
and  there  it  will  be  observed  that  the  polish  or  varnish 
has  given  more  gloss  than  elsewhere.  Where  the 
gloss  is  brightest  the  varnish  has  sunk  least. 

The  grain  may  be  filled  up  by  going  over  the  wood 
with  polish  till  the  pores  are  closed,'  and  some 
beginners  may  want  to  know  why  anything  else  in  the 
nature  of  a  filler  should  be  used.  The  reason  is  that 
comparatively  valuable  French  polish  need  not  be 
used  when  a  cheaper  material  serves  the  purpose,  the 
use  of  which  also  saves  time.  Woods  that  are  open 
in  the  grain  and  porous  specially  need  a  filler,  while 
fine,  close-grained  woods  do  not,  and  may  be  polished 
without.  Still,  a  suitable  filler  can  do  no  harm  to  any 
kind  of  wood,  however  fine  the  grain  may  be,  so  there 
can  be  no  disadvantage  in  going  over  it  with  one 

7 


8 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


preparatory  to  polishing.  Though  it  may  be  a  slight 
waste  of  time,  a  preliminary  rub  over  with  polish 
suffices  when  working  on  a  fine  wood,  such  as  olive 
or  rosewood,  which  are  both  close  and  hard.  To 
attain  the  desired  thin,  glossy  film  of  shellac,  which 
shall  not  be  liable  to  grow  dull  unreasonably  soon,  the 
woods  ordinarily  used  in  furniture — ash,  oak,  mahog¬ 
any,  walnut,  cherry,  etc. — should  have  the  grain  filled, 
for  they  are  all  of  comparatively  open  grain;  ash  and 
oak,  being  especially  coarse,  are  called  by  polishers 
“hungry  woods.”  Polishers  usually  give  such  woods 
one  or  more  coats  of  spirit  varnish  as  an  aid  to  filling 
up  the  grain. 

Before  commencing  the  process  of  filling-in, 
thoroughly  brush  all  dust  out  of  the  grain  of  the  wood, 
for  this  is  wood-dust,  sand  from  the  sandpaper,  and 
dirt — all  inimical  to  grain  luster  if  mixed  up  with  the 
grain  stopper. 

Amongst  the  best  “fillers”  is  a  preparation  manu¬ 
factured  in  Bridgeport,  Conn.,  and  known  as  “Wheeler’s 
Wood-filler,”  and  though  it  may  cost  a  little  more 
than  home-made  or  other  fillers,  it  is  certain  to  give 
satisfaction.  This  filler  has  for  its  base  a  form  of 
mineral  silica  in  an  atomic  shape,  which  permits  it  to 
be  ground  or  pulverized  into  a  very  fine,  dust-like  con¬ 
dition,  in  which  each  particle  assumes  a  needle-pointed 
form,  which  enables  them  to  enter  into  the  pores  of  the 
wood  and  give  to  the  work  a  gloss-like  surface. 

For  filling  a  cheap  class  of  work,  many  polishers 
content  themselves  with  giving  the  work  one  or  two 
coats  of  glue  or  patent  size,  heavily  stained  by  the 
addition  of  some  dry  pigment.  For  mahogany  finish 
add  Venetian  red  till  it  gives  quite  a  red  tinge;  for 
walnut  add  brown  umber;  for  pine,  add  yellow  ocher. 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


9 


Apply  the  size  hot  with  a  brush,  and  rub  it  in  lightly 
with  a  piece  of  rag,  finishing  the  way  of  the  grain,  and 
taking  care  .in  the  case  of  turned  or  moulded  work  to 
get  the  filler  well  in  the  recessed  parts.  Of  course, 
work  that  has  been  sized  will  not  need  filling-in. 

As  many  different  kinds  of  fillers  are  used,  and  each 
has  its  advocates,  it  will  be  advisable  to  name  the 
principal  fillers  used  in  the  trade,  and  to  make  a  few 
remarks  about  each,  so  that  learners  can  experiment 
with  them,  and  perhaps  finally  fix  on  that  which  may 
seem  to  suit  best.  All  will  be  found  reliable,  for 
good  work  is  turned  out  by  polishers  with  any  of 
them,  and  even  an  extremely  prejudiced  individual 
would  hesitate  to  say  that  any  one  is  really  bad, 
though  he  uses  only  that  which  suits  him  best.  Some¬ 
times,  owing  to  the  price,  he  uses  the  easiest  and 
quickest,  irrespective  of  its  quality. 

Wood-fillers  ready  for  use  are  made  for  most  kinds 
of  wood,  and,  as  a  rule,  they  require  only  thinning 
with  a  little  turpentine.  When  it  is  desired  to  make 
a  filler  instead  of  purchasing  one  ready  made,  proceed 
as  follows:  Take  a  portion  of  either  china  clay  or 
corn-flour;  add  boiling  linseed  oil,  and  stir  until  the 
mixture  is  of  the  consistency  of  putty.  Then  add 
patent  dryers  and  thin  with  turpentine.  If  the  wood 
on  which  the  filler  is  to  be  used  is  to  be  kept  light  in 
color,  use  raw  oil  and  the  lightest  variety  of  dryer. 
Further  remarks  on  home-made  fillers  will  be  found 
later  on. 

In  woods  employed  for  house  and  cabinet  work  there 
are  two  distinct  natures;  therefore  different  treatment 
is  required  in  finishing.  First,  there  is  the  coarse  or 
open-grained  wood,  having  its  surface  perforated  with 
innumerable  pores  or  cells.  In  order  to  obtain  a 


10 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


smooth  and  even  finish,  these  pores  should  be  filled 
up  to  a  level  with  the  hard  grain,  or,  as  the  grainer 
would  term  them,  the  “lights”  of  the  wood.  Next 
we  have  the  fine  or  close-grained  wood,  which,  like 
the  preceding,  also  contains  these  pores,  but  they  are 
of  a  very  fine  character,  and  simply  sealing  them  up 
with  a  liquid  filler  will  enable  one  to  produce  a  fine, 
smooth  finish,  which  we  shall  consider  farther  on. 

I  will  now  return  to  the  open  or  wide-grained  wood, 
which  requires  more  attention  and  care  than  the 
closer-grained  wood,  if  the  same  results  are  expected. 
There  are  many  things  that  will  serve  the  purpose  of 
fillers  and  make  pretty  fair  work;  among  these  may 
be  mentioned  china  clay,  silver  white  and  corn-starch; 
the  best  of  which  is  probably  the  last  named.  This  is 
well  adapted  to  the  work,  being  equally  useful  with 
light,  or  when  colored  with  dark  wood;  one  fault  with 
it  is  that  it  never  hardens.  China  clay — the  English 
is  the  best — makes  an  exceedingly  good  filler;  it  is 
light  in  color,  very  fine  and  dries  as  hard  as  cement. 

There  are  a  hundred  ways  of  preparing  fillers  for 
use,  and  nearly  as  many  different  materials  for  making 
them;  we  would  recommend,  however,  that  wherever 
it  is  possible,  Wheeler’s  patent  wood  filler  be  used; 
though  we  are  aware  that  in  many  cases  it  may  not 
be  advisable  to  use  it,  and  to  meet  these  rare  conditions 
the  following  mixtures  may  be  substituted. 

A  filler  should  be  so  mixed  that  the  greater  portion 
of  the  vehicle  will  penetrate  into  the  wood,  leaving 
the  pigment  on  the  surface  to  be  rubbed  into  the 
pores,  and  still  retain  enough  combining  property  to 
form  a  hard  and  impenetrable  surface.  This  depends 
entirely  upon  the  proportions  of  the  vehicles  employed, 
gnd  different  pigments  require  different  quantities 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


ii 


of  vehicle.  Proceed  with  the  mixing  by  filling  the 
pot  two-thirds  full  of  the  dry  pigment,  then  add 
boiled  linseed  oil,  producing  the  consistency  of  putty, 
then  dilute  with  about  one  part  japan  and  two  parts 
turpentine.  Should  it  be  required  to  keep  the  wood 
as  light  as  possible,  replace  the  boiled  oil  with  raw, 
using  a  smaller  quantity,  but  a  little  more  japan.  For 
all  light  wood  the  light  japan  should  be  preferred, 
although  there  are  many  who  never  use  anything  but 
the  common  brown.  Naphtha  can  also  be  employed  in 
place  of  the  turpentine,  somewhat  reducing  the 
expense;  but,  as  naphtha  evaporates  much  faster,  it 
prevents  the  operator  from  covering  an  extended 
surface  without  running  the  risk  of  having  it  dry 
hard.  This  causes  difficulty  at  “rubbing  it  in’’  and 
wiping  off  the  surplus,  although  “wiping  off”  should 
not  proceed  until  the  filler  has  flatted — or,  at  least, 
“set.”  This  to  a  certain  extent  the  operator  can 
accelerate  or  retard  by  omitting  or  adding  a  small 
quantity  of  oil,  keeping  in  view  the  fact  that  the 
smaller  the  quantity  of  oil  used,  the  lighter  colored, 
but  the  less  durable,  will  be  the  finish. 

Oil  is  sometimes  used  as  a  filler,  but  its  use  is  not 
recommended;  applied  directly  to  the  wood,  its  effect 
is  to  swell  the  fibers,  or  “raise  the  grain,”  which 
remains  in  that  condition  until  the  oil  becomes  entirely 
dry  or  disappears.  During  this  time  the  fibers  are 
gradually  shrinking,  and  consequently  moving  or 
checking  the  varnish.  The  qualities  essential  to  a 
good  filler  are  that  it  shall  readily  enter  the  porous 
portion  of  the  wood,  and  shall  very  soon  harden  and 
render  the  wood  impervious  to  the  varnish,  which 
should  lie  smoothly  upon  the  surface,  giving  brilliancy 
and  effect  to  the  natural  beauty  of  the  wood;  and  that 


12 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


it  shall  not  raise  the  grain  of  the  wood;  and  that  it 
shall  not  change  the  color  of  the  wood.  These  con¬ 
ditions  are  satisfactorily  fulfilled  by  few  of  the  home¬ 
made  fillers  ordinarily  used  in  shops,  and  while  I  give 
a  number  of  recipes,  my  readers  are  advised  that  they 
will  obtain  better  satisfaction,  at  less  cost,  by  purchas¬ 
ing  some  of  the  patent  fillers  now  coming  into  general 
use.  In  these  fillers  very  little  oil  is  used  and  a  large 
amount  of  dryers,  so  that  the  wood  becomes  perfectly 
dry  and  hard  in  a  few  hours,  preventing  any  swelling 
or  shrinking  of  the  fibers  of  the  wood  after  the  varnish 
is  applied.  The  following  fillers  should  be  allowed  to 
dry  until  quite  hard.  A  period  of  about  eight  hours  is 
usually  sufficient,  but  it  is  better  to  let  the  work  stand 
for  twenty-four  hours  before  touching  it  with  sand¬ 
paper.  In  applying  a  filler  it  should  always  be  borne 
in  mind  that  the  substance  of  wood  consists  of  a 
multitude  of  small  tubes  lying  side  by  side.  These 
tubes  or  cells  are  not  continuous  from  top  to  bottom 
of  the  tree,  but  are  comparatively  short  and  taper  out 
to  points  so  that  they  are  thickest  in  the  middle.  Most 
of  the  common  woods  have  the  walls  of  these  tubes  so 
thin  that  liquid  is  readily  absorbed  by  them  and  carried 
into  the  substance  for  some  distance.  Different  kinds 
of  wood  differ  much  in  the  shape  and  arrangement  of 
these  cells.  In  filling  the  pores  the  first  step  is  taken 
in  providing  an  absolutely  smooth  surface.  We  trust 
mainly  to  mechanical  force  in  rubbing  in,  aided  by  the 
absorptive  powers  of  the  wood.  Formerly  successive 
varnishings  and  rubbings  and  scrapings  took  much 
time,  and  when  they  were  done,  the  final  finish  had 
still  to  be  applied,  but  the  whole  process  has  now  been 
simplified,  by  using  fillers. 

The  careful  workman  will  not  leave  “great  daubs’’ 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


13 


of  superfluous  filler  here  and  there  on  the  work,  but 
will  see  that  all  corners  and  heads  and  quirks  of 
mouldings  are  well  cleaned  off  before  it  gets  too  hard 
to  remove  easily,  and  should  there  be  any  nail  holes — - 
which  there  ought  not  to  be — he  will  have  them  filled 
with  properly  colored  putty  or  cement  and  nicely 
smoothed  down  before  he  makes  any  attempt  to  put 
on  his  finishing  coats. 

Among  the  many  home-made  fillers  I  have 
endeavored  to  select  the  best. 

Walnut  Filler. — For  Medium  and  Cheap  Work.  Ten 
lb.  bolted  English  whiting,  3  lb.  dry  burnt  umber,  4 
lb.  Vandyke  brown,  3  lb.  calcined  plaster,  y2  lb. 
Venetian  red,  I  gal.  boiled  linseed  oil,  y2  gal.  spirits 
turpentine,  I  quart  black  japan.  Mix  well  and  apply 
with  brush;  rub  well  with  excelsior  or  tow,  clean  off 
with  rags. 

Walnut  Filler. — For  Imitation  Wax-Finish.  Five  lb. 
bolted  whiting,  1  lb.  calcined  plaster,  6  oz.  calcined 
magnesia,  I  oz.  dry  burnt  umber,  1  oz.  French  yellow, 
I  quart  raw  linseed  oil,  I  quart  benzine  spirits,  y2  pint 
very  thin  white  shellac.  Mix  well  and  apply  with  a 
brush.  Rub  well  in  and  clean  off  with  rags.  Before 
using  the  above  filling,  give  the  work  one  coat  of  white 
shellac.  When  dry,  sandpaper  down  and  apply  the 
filler. 

Walnut  Filler. — For  First-Class  Work.  Three  lb. 
burnt  umber  ground  in  oil,  I  lb.  burnt  sienna  ground 
in  oil,  1  quart  spirits  of  turpentine,  1  pint  brown  japan. 
Mix  well  and  apply  with  a  brush;  sandpaper  well; 
clean  off  with  tow  and  rags.  This  gives  a  beautiful 
chocolate  color  to  the  wood. 

Filler  for  Light  Woods. — Five  lb.  bolted  English" 
whiting,  3  lb.  calcined  plaster,  1  lb.  corn-starch,  3  oz. 


14 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


calcined  magnesia,  y2  gallon  raw  linseed  oil,  I  quart 
spirits  of  turpentine,  I  quart  brown  japan,  and 
sufficient  French  yellow  to  tinge  the  white.  Mix  well 
and  apply  with  a  brush,  rub  in  with  excelsior  or  tow, 
and  clean  off  with  rags. 

Filler  for  Cherry.  —  Five  lb.  bolted  English  whiting,  2 
lb.  calcined  plaster,  I y2  oz.  dry  burnt  sienna,  I  oz. 
Venetian  red,  I  quart  boiled  linseed  oil,  1  pint  spirits 
of  turpentine,  1  pint  brown  japan.  Mix  well,  rub  in 
with  excelsior  or  tow  and  clean  off  with  rags. 

Filler  for  Oak. — Five  lb.  bolted  English  whiting,  2 
lb.  calcined  plaster,  1  oz.  dry  burnt  sienna,  y2  oz.  dry 
French  yellow,  I  quart  raw  linseed  oil,  1  pint  benzine 
spirits,  y2  pint  white  shellac.  Mix  well,  apply  with 
brush,  rub  in  with  excelsior  or  tow,  and  clean  off  with 
rag. 

Filler  for  Rosewood. — Six  lb.  bolted  English  whiting, 
2  lb.  calcined  plaster,  1  lb.  rose  pink,  2  oz.  Venetian 
red,  y2  lb.  Vandyke  brown,  y2  lb.  brandon  red,  1  gallon 
boiled  linseed  oil,  y2  gallon  spirits  of  turpentine,  I 
quart  black  japan.  Mix  well,  apply  with  brush,  rub 
in  with  excelsior  or  tow,  and  clean  off  with  rags. 

Another. — Stir  boiled  oil  and  corn-starch  into  a  very 
thick  paste;  add  a  little  japan,  and  reduce  with  turpen¬ 
tine,  but  add  no  color  for  light  ash.  For  dark  ash  and 
chestnut  use  a  little  raw  sienna;  for  walnut,  burnt 
umber,  add  a  small  quantity  of  Venetian  red;  for  bay 
wood,  burnt  sienna.  In  no  case  use  more  color  than  is 
required  to  overcome  the  white  appearance  of  the 
starch,  unless  it  is  wished  to  stain  the  wood.  The 
filler  is  worked  with  brush  and  rags  in  the  usual 
manner.  Let  it  dry  forty-eight  hours,  or  until  it  is  in 
condition  to  rub  down  with  No.  O  sandpaper  without 
much  gumming  up,  and  if  an  extra  fine  finish  is  desired, 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER  15 

fill  again  with  the  same  materials,  using  less  oil,  but 
more  of  japan  and  turpentine. 

Another. — Take  three  papers  corn-starch,  one  quart 
boiled  linseed  oil,  two  quarts  turpentine,  one-quarter 
pint  japan;  cut  in  half  the  turpentine  before  mixing; 
it  will  not  cut  perfectly  otherwise.  For  dark  woods 
add  burnt  umbef  to  color.  When  nearly  dry,  rub  off 
with  cloths.  The  above  mixture  must  be  used  fresh, 
as  it  is  of  no  value  after  it  is  four  or  five  days  old. 
The  cloths  used  in  rubbing  as  above  mentioned  should 
be  destroyed  immediately  after  use,  as  spontaneous 
combustion  is  likely  to  ensue  from  the  ingredients 
employed.  As  a  filler  of  wood  to  be  stained,  apply 
French  plaster  of  Paris,  mixed  as  a  creamy  paste  with 
water,  and  after  rubbing  in,  clean  any  surplus  off;  or- 
use  whiting  finely  powdered,  or  white  lead  slacked 
with  painters’  drying  oil,  and  used  as  a  filler.  Another 
process  is  that  of  oiling,  then  rubbing  crosswise  to  the 
grain  with  a  sponge  dipped  in  thin  polish  composed 
of  melted  beeswax,  resin,  and  shellac,  and  smoothing 
the  surface,  when  dry,  with  pumice-stone,  or  fine  glass 
paper.  Embody  the  work  a  second  time  with  thicker 
polish,  or  a  mixture  of  polish  and  varnish.  The 
rubbers  will  work  easily  with  half  the  quantity  of  oil 
which  is  ordinarily  used.  This  second  body  should  be 
rubbed  very  smooth  with  moist  putty. 

In  the  use  of  any  filler,  care  must  be  taken  in  the 
selection  of  color,  for  the  employment  of  a  light 
colored  filler  on  dark  wood  or  vice  versa  would  result 
in  gross  defacement,  as  the  lighter  color  would  show 
at  the  pores  of  the  wood  in  the  one  case,  and  the 
darker  in  the  other.  Therefore,  to  avoid  this,  the  filler 
should  be  as  near  as  possible  the  color  of  the  wood  to 
be  filled. 


i6 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


As  a  general  thing,  paint  manufacturers  who  do  not 
make  fillers  a  specialty  use  opaque  colors  to  stain  their 
filler,  as  it  requires  a  less  quantity.  This  will  do 
sometimes,  but  not  always.  But  those  which  give  to 
the  wood  a  clear  and  bright  appearance,  and  there¬ 
fore  produce  the  best  results,  are  stained  with  trans¬ 
parent  colors;  those  chiefly  employed  are  burnt 
umber  and  sienna,  Venetian  red,  Vandyke  brown  and 
charcoal  black,  the  charcoal  being  ground  fine  in  oil, 
while  the  others  can  be  used  dry  and  according  to  the 
following  recipes  with  good  results: 

In  mixing  any  or  all  dark  fillers  the  same  pigments 
used  for  the  light  (previously  described)  should  be 
kept  for  a  basis,  with  sufficient  coloring  to  stain  it  to 
the  desired  depth  of  shade. 

Filler  for  walnut  is  very  often  stained  with  burnt 
umber;  this  is  reddish  in  hue  and  gives  to  the  wood  a 
pleasing  effect.  Others  use  Venetian  red,  darkened 
somewhat  with  lampblack;  this  is  rather  opaque,  and 
tends  to  deaden  the  color  of  the  wood.  There  is 
another  article  —  namely,  Vandyke  brown — which  gives 
fair  results.  In  order  to  obtain  a  rich  effect,  the  filler 
should  be  made  considerably  darker  than  the  wood 
when  new. 

Fillers  for  mahogany,  cherry,  California  redwood, 
and  other  woods  of  similar  shade,  should  be  stained 
with  bunrt  sienna,  as  they  should  be  finished  very  clear. 
It  is  well  to  know  that  charcoal  black  and  Venetian  red 
will  give  the  desired  shade  for  any  dark-colored  wood 
in  common  use  or  for  all  colors  in  antique,  but  it  does 
not  show  up  quite  as  clear  as  some  other  combinations. 

For  rosewood,  charcoal  as  a  stain  will  suffice,  and 
for  vanilla  or  Brazil-wood  the  use  of  rose-pink  will  give 
good  results. 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


*7 


The  methods  of  mixing  these  fillers  are  quite 
numerous.  It  is  impossible  to  give  the  proportions 
definitely,  owing  to  the  strength  of  the  colors  or  the 
transparency  of  the  chief  ingredient,  but  one  cannot 
go  astray  by  following  the  preceding  rules. 

Mix  the  light  pigment  to  a  paste  with  boiled  oil, 
which  must  be  well  stirred  up.  Then  in  another  pot 
mix  a  quantity  of  the  colored  pigment  with  turpentine 
or  naphtha;  and  when  thoroughly  “cut,”  or  dissolved, 
add  sufficient  of  it  to  the  light  to  give  the  shade 
required.  After  this  is  obtained,  dilute  with  turpentine 
or  naphtha  and  japan,  as  directed  in  mixing  light 
filler.  This  applies  to  all  colors  except  black,  which 
is  seldom  obtained  finely  ground  unless  in  oil,  and 
properly  thinned  down. 

There  are  many  finishers  and  firms  who  exclusively 
use  manufactured  fillers,  and  in  consequence  meet  with 
many  difficulties  as  to  the  shade  they  require,  as 
different  manufacturers  use  different  colors  to  stain 
their  filler.  But  this  difficulty  can  be  overcome  by  a 
few  experiments  with  the  above-named  stains. 

As  the  foregoing  gives  pretty  nearly  all  the  fillers  in 
general  use,  with  the  exception  of  some  of  the  manu¬ 
factured  mineral  preparations  of  which  I  will  have 
more  to  say  further  on,  I  will  now  proceed  to  describe 
the  method  of  application.  The  secret  of  this  is  to 
do  the  work  well,  quickly  and  economically.  These 
points  are  dealt  with  in  the  following: 

Have  your  filler  mixed  to  the  consistency  of 
ordinary  lead  paint;  then  apply  to  the  prepared 
surface  of  the  wood  with  a  pound  brush,  or,  what  is 
still  better,  a  3-0  or  4-0  oval  chisel  varnish  brush.  In 
applying  the  filler  it  is  not  necessary  to  cover  all  the 
small  beads  and  carvings;  and  if  the  filler  be  light, 


*8  THE  UP-TO-DATE 

better  avoid  coating  them  at  all;  and  if  dark  or 
antique,  stain  them  with  a  little  of  the  filler, 
much  reduced  with  spirits  of  turpentine.  For 
this  purpose  have  at  hand  a  small  pot  with  a 
small  fitch  or  sash  tool. 

By  not  filling  the  beads  and  carvings,  the 
varnish  is  not  so  liable  to  run  down  in  them, 
although  sufficient  remains  to  produce  a  finish 
equal  to  the  balance  of  the  surface. 

After  enough  surface  has  been  covered  with 
the  filler,  so  that  what  has  been  first  applied 
begins  to  flatten,  the  process  of  wiping  should 
immediately  begin,  using  for  that  purpose 
either  a  rag  or  a  handful  of  waste  or  excelsior. 
If  the  wood  is  very  open  grained,  waste  is 
preferable.  With  a  piece  of  this  that  has 
previously  been  used  and  is  pretty  well  sup¬ 
plied  with  filler,  rub  crosswise  of  the  grain, 
rather  rubbing  it  into  the  grain  than  wiping  it 
off.  After  the  whole  surface  has  been  gone 
over  in  this  way,  take  a  clean  piece  of  waste 
or  rag  (never  use  excelsior  for  wiping  clean) 
and  wipe  the  surface  perfectly  clean  and  free 
from  filler,  using  a  wooden  pick  (Fig.  105),  the 
point  of  which  has  been  covered  with  a  rag  or 
waste,  to  clean  out  the  corners,  beads,  etc.  It 
is  well  to  give  these  picks  some  attention,  as 
a  person  once  accustomed  to  certain  tools  can 
accomplish  more  and  better  work  than  with 
tools  that  feel  strange  in  his  hands;  therefore, 
Fig  105  ea°h  finisher  should  furnish  his  own  pick.  As 
to  their  construction,  these  are  best  made 
from  second-growth  hickory,  which  can  be  procured  at 
any  carriage  repair  shop,  such  as  old  spokes,  broken 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


19 


felloes,  etc.  They  are  made  eight  incnes  in  length, 
half  inch  oval  at  one  end  and  tapering  down  to  the 
point  at  the  other.  Sharpen  the  oval  end  like  a  cold 
chisel,  then  smooth  with  sandpaper,  which  should  also 
be  used  to  sharpen  the  tool  when  the  same  becomes 
worn  dull. 

This  picking  out  of  the  filler  from  beads,  etc.,  can 
be  accelerated  by  the  use  of  picking  brushes,  several 
of  which  I  show  in  Fig.  106,  and  which  are  manm 
factured  especially  for  that  purpose,  but  it  is  not 


Fig.  106 


advisable  to  use  them  on  very  coarsely  grained  wood, 
as  they  scrub  the  filler  out  of  the  pores. 

There  are  several  fillers  used  which  do  not  require 
this  picking  and  scrubbing.  One  is  a  liquid  filler  used 
chiefly  for  carriage  finishing;  but  it  can  be  used  suc¬ 
cessfully  on  butternut,  bird’s-eye  maple,  curly  maple, 
satinwood,  hickory,  etc.  It  is  made  from  gum  and 
oil.  Another  is  a  filler  made  from  finely  ground 
pumice-stone,  mixed  as  other  fillers.  It  is  applied 
with  a  brush,  and  must  be  left  to  dry  at  least  twenty- 
four  hours;  it  is  then  sandpapered  smooth,  when  an  oil 


20 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


varnish  is  applied,  rendering  it  completely  transparent. 
This  last  can  be  used  only  upon  light  wood. 

The  workman,  as  a  matter  of  course,  will  under¬ 
stand  that  different  woods  require  slightly  different 
treatment,  and  the  finer-grained  woods,  among  which 
are  the  pines,  maples,  cedars  and  poplars,  of  different 
varieties,  and  birch,  cherry,  beech,  sycamore,  white 
box,  satinwood,  etc.,  require  no  filling,  not  that  a 
filling  would  prove  detrimental  to  the  finish — except 
upon  stained  work  or  white  holly,  which  in  order  to 
maintain  a  clear  color  should  never  be  filled — but,  from 
the  condition  of  all  fine  wood,  it  is  superfluous,  and 
only  causes  unnecessary  labor  and  expense.  At  this 
point  it  will  be  convenient  to  pause  to  consider  the 
subject  of  mineral  or  prepared  wood-fillers. 

A  great  deal  of  time  and  money  have  been  wasted 
in  attempting  to  make  good  fillers,  to  no  purpose,  and 
a  great  variety — as  I  have  shown — of  substances,  as 
chalk,  plaster  of  Paris,  corn-starch,  etc.,  etc.,  have 
been  mixed  with  various  vehicles  and  rubbed  into  the 
wood  with  but  indifferent  success.  Most  of  these 
compounds  labor  under  the  disadvantages  of  forming 
chemical  compounds  with  the  oil  and  consequently 
they  shrink  very  much  on  drying,  so  that  though  the 
surface  may  appear  smooth  when  they  are  first  put  on, 
waves  and  hollows  make  their  appearance  as  they  dry. 
These  waves,  having  round  edges,  are  difficult  to  fill, 
the  second  coat  building  up  as  much  or  more  upon  the 
level  spaces  as  in  the  hollows.  It  sometimes  seems 
almost  impossible  with  these  fillers  in  the  latter  coats 
to  make  the  hollows  hold  any  substance,  the  filler 
clinging  chiefly  to  the  surfaces. 

I  have  thought  it  necessary  to  show  how  the  ordinary 
or  home-made  fillers  act,  and  fail,  in  order  to  show  by 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


21 


contrast  how  much  easier  it  is  to  work  efficiently  with 
the  mineral  fillers.  The  mineral  quartz,  when  mixed 
with  oil,  probably  shrinks  less  in  drying  than  any  other 
similar  known  mixture.  If  a  surface  of  wood  be 
covered  with  this  and  then  rubbed,  the  sharp  and 
angular  particles  of  the  silica  imbed  themselves  in  the 
pores  of  the  wood,  closing  them  up,  while  the  oil 
cements  them  fast.  This  is  the  foundation  of 
Wheeler’s  wood  filler,  which  we  recommend  for  use 
by  all  wood  finishers.  When  the  pores  have  been 
filled  with  silica,  and  are  cemented  fast  by  the  proper 
mixture  of  gums  and  oils,  the  difficult  part  of  the  work 
is  done. 

After  a  good  surface  has  been  made  upon  the  article 
it  is  ready  for  the  filler,  which  is  to  be  selected 
according  to  the  color  desired.  In  putting  the  filler 
on,  it  is  thinned  with  turpentine  until  about  like  flowing 
varnish,  and  is  applied  with  a  brush.  Only  so  much  of 
the  surface  is  covered  as  can  be  cleaned  off  before  it 
hardens.  When  it  has  set  so  that  the  gloss  has  left  the 
surface,  it  is  at  once  rubbed  off  with  excelsior  or 
shavings,  going  across  the  grain  with  the  strokes.  If 
the  filler  dries  too  fast  or  too  light,  a  little  raw  linseed 
oil  may  be  used  in  it. 

Perhaps  a  better  material  for  rubbing  off  than 
excelsior  is  hemp,  or  “flax  tow.”  At  any  rate,  the 
work  should  be  finished  with  some  finer  material  than 
excelsior. 

For  a  nicer  job  the  filler  is  rubbed  in  with  a  rubber, 
made  by  gluing  a  piece  of  sole  or  belt  leather  on  the 
face  of  a  block  of  wood  and  trimming  the  edges  flush 
with  the  block.  The  rubbing  is  done  after  the  filler 
has  set  and  before  it  is  cleaned  off.  If  it  dries  off  too 
light,  a  little  white  japan  may  be  added  on  nice  work. 


22 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


The  light-colored  filler  should  be  used  on  all  work 
where  light  and  dark  woods  are  used  together.  The 
filling,  it  must  be  understood,  is  done  by  the  silica, 
which  will  often  be  found  in  the  shape  of  a  sediment 
in  the  bottom  of  the  mixture.  Eight  hours  is  generally 
considered  a  sufficient  time  for  the  filler  to  dry. 

When  the  work  with  the  filler  is  done,  the  surface  of 
the  wood  ought  to  be  like  so  much  ground  glass.  Such 
portions  of  the  wood  as  show  a  solid  grain  need  very 
little  filler.  On  Georgia  pine,  after  the  filler  is  dry,  a 
little  rubbing  in  the  direction  of  the  grain  with  very 
fine  sandpaper  is  an  advantage.  If  the  filler  has  been 
properly  used  the  desired  results  will  be  obtained  with 
little  labor. 

The  wood  is  now  in  a  condition  to'receive  the  final 
coatings.  Whether  the  work  is  to  be  polished  or 
“dead  finished,”  do  not  employ  shellac  or  “French 
polish.”  If  a  “dead”  surface  is  wanted,  wax  finish  is 
easily  put  on,  and  as  easily  rubbed  to  a  good  surface. 
Several  manufacturers  in  this  country  prepare  a  wax 
finish,  which  is  a  convenient  preparation  of  wax  and 
gums,  and  can  be  applied  with  a  brush  and  then  rubbed 
down  with  a  woolen  cloth,  tied  up  to  make  a  hard 
rubber,  until  a  fine,  lusterless  surface  is  obtained. 
With  mahogany  and  similar  woods  this  greatly 
improves  the  color  of  the  wood.  When  this  has  dried, 
which  will  be  in  the  course  of  a  few  hours,  the  work  is 
ready  for  use.  The  wax  finish,  like  many  of  the 
furniture  creams,  has  the  advantage  that  it  can  be  put 
on  in  a  few  minutes  at  any  time  to  brighten  up  work 
when  it  has  become  dull.  A  piece  of  work  prepared  in 
this  way,  after  four  operations,  will  present  as  fine  an 
appearance  as  the  best  cabinet  work  found  in  the 
furniture  stores. 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


23 


The  materials  which  have  been  described,  it  will  be 
noticed,  are  both  manufactured  articles.  The  prepared 
filler  is  indispensable;  the  wax  finish  can  be  made  by- 
mixing  together,  by  the  aid  of  heat,  white  wax  and 
spirits  of  turpentine  until  they  are  of  the  consistency 
of  thick  paste.  Another  wax  finish  is  made  of  bees¬ 
wax,  spirits  of  turpentine  and  linseed  oil  in  equal  parts. 
The  addition  of  two  drams  of  alkanet  root  to  every 
twenty  ounces  of  turpentine  darkens  and  enriches  the 
color.  The  root  is  to  be  put  into  a  little  bag  and 
allowed  to  stand  in  the  turpentine  until  it  is  sufficiently 
colored. 

An  altogether  more  durable  surface  can  be  made  by 
a  little  change  in  the  treatment.  When  the  wood  is 
filled,  instead  of  applying  the  wax,  take  some  hard 
oil  finish,  “Luxeberry,”  a  preparation  manufactured 
in  Detroit,  Mich.,  and  put  it  on  with  a  brush  precisely 
like  varnish.  The  coat  should  not  be  too  heavy, 
especially  on  vertical  surfaces,  and  the  brush  used 
ought  to  be  a  good  one.  This  material  gives  a  most 
brilliant  polish.  By  rubbing  it  down  with  a  woolen 
cloth  and  pumice-stone  powder  it  can  also  be  made 
dull.  Hard-oil  finish  does  not  spot  with  hot  or  cold 
water,  is  slightly  elastic  and  is  not  injured  by  pretty 
severe  soaking  in  water.  It  gets  hard  in  twelve  hours 
or  less  in  warm  weather,  and  overnight  in  winter  time. 
It  is  one  of  the  best  surfaces  which  can  be  used,  and 
has  the  advantage  of  working  very  well  in  the  hands 
of  one  who  is  not  an  expert  in  the  art  of  finishing  wood 
or  handling  varnish.  It  will  make  a  very  fair  surface 
applied  direct  to  the  unfilled  wood,  in  which  case  it  is 
a  good  substitute  for  shellac. 

Wax  finish  has  the  advantage  that  scratches  can  be 
easily  repaired  without  sending  to  the  cabinetmaker 


24 


The-  jp-  to  -date 


or  the  painter.  Here  a  word  of  advice  to  the 
carpenter  who  di^es  any  work  of  this  character  may 
save  him  some  trouble  and  make  way  for  the  further 
use  of  the  same  kind  of  finish.  When  the  woodwork 
of  a  house  is  treated  in  this  way,  be  sure  to  leave  a 
little  bottle  of  the  wax  polish  with  the  housekeeper, 
with  directions  as  to  the  method  of  using  it.  In  send¬ 
ing  out  a  “what-not,”  bookcase,  or  any  other  article 
of  similar  kind,  put  up  a  little  bottle  of  the  polish  and 
show  the  owner,  or,  preferably  the  lady  of  the  house, 
how  to  repair  any  little  scratch  and  make  the  work 
look  “as  good  as  new.”  The  fresh  appearance  of  the 
work  will  be  a  good  advertisement,  while  it  will  pre¬ 
vent  complaints  and  dissatisfaction  that  often  follow 
the  use  of  work  which,  when  injured,  cannot  be 
restored. 

It  may  be  said  that  either  of  the  methods  of  finishing 
involves  a  great  deal  of  labor.  This  is  true;  but  the 
amount  is  not  much  greater  than  is  needed  for  three 
coats  of  paint,  and  the  cost  of  the  paint  would  probably 
be  more  than  the  cost  of  the  finish.  The  labor  in  one 
case  can  be  of  a  cheap  character,  and  in  the  other  an 
experienced  painter  must  be  employed.  The  profit 
upon  the  “dead  finish”  can  go  into  the  pocket  of  the 
carpenter,  while  that  of  the  painting  must  in  any  event 
be  divided  between  the  carpenter  and  painter,  or 
belong  to  the  latter  altogether,  who  is,  after  all,  the 
proper  person  to  do  the  wrork. 

I  have  now  said  about  all  that  is  necessary  in  the 
matter  of  “fillers”  and  “filling,”  but,  as  it  sometimes 
happens  that  the  old  system  of  “sizing”  has  to  be 
resorted  to  for  certain  kinds  of  work,  I  give  herewith 
a  formula  for  its  construction  and  use: 

Size  of  different  kinds  is  sometimes  applied  to  the 


H/na.wOOD  FINISHER 


2t 


surface  of  wool  -o  f  event  absorption  of  the  varnish. 
The  kind  of  material  used  for  the  size  is  not  important, 
the  object  being  only  to  prevent  absorption  by  a  very 
thin  coat  of  some  substance  not  soluble  in  the  varnish. 
For  dark-colored  wood,  thin  size,  made  by  reducing 
ordinary  glue  with  water,  is  generally  used;  but  for 
lighter-colored  surfaces  a  white  size  is  used,  which  is 
prepared  by  boiling  white  kid  or  other  leather  or 
parchment-cuttings  in  water  for  a  few  hours,  or  until 
it  forms  a  thin,  jelly-like  substance,  which  is  reduced 
with  water  to  a  thin  consistency,  and  used  in  a  tepid 
state.  Sometimes  solutions  of  isinglass  or  tragacanth 
are  employed  in  like  manner.  Unlike  the. best  fillers, 
sizes  of  any  kind  do  not  improve  the  finish,  and  are 
sometimes  a  positive  detriment  to  it.  They  are  used 
solely  as  an  economy  to  reduce  the  quantity  of  the 
varnish  needed;  -  J  ‘heir  use  is  not  recommended  for 
the  best  work. 

WOOD-STAINING  GENERALLY 

There  are  many  cases  where  an  article  constructed 
of  wood  may  be  more  conveniently  and  suitably 
finished  by  staining  and  polishing  than  by  painting. 
The  practice  of  staining  woods  is  much  less  common 
in  America  and  England  than  on  the  Continent,  where 
workmen,  familiar  with  the  different  washes,  produce 
the  most  delicate  tones  of  color  and  shade.  Wood  is 
often  stained  to  imitate  darker  and  dearer  varieties, 
but  more  legitimately  to  improve  the  natural 
appearance  by  heightening  and  bringing  out  the 
original  markings,  or  by  giving  a  definite  color  with¬ 
out  covering  the  surface  and  hiding  the  nature  of  the 
material  by  coats  of  paint.  The  best  woods  for  stain¬ 
ing  are  those  of  close,  even  texture,  as  pear  and  cherry, 


26 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


birch,  beech,  and  maple,  though  softer  and  coarser 
kinds  may  be  treated  with  good  effect.  The  wood 
should  be  dried,  and  if  an  even  tint  is  desired,  its 
surface  planed  and  sandpapered.  All  the  stains 
should,  if  possible,  be  applied  hot,  as  they  thus  pene¬ 
trate  more  deeply  into  the  pores.  If  the  wood  is  to  be 
varnished,  and  not  subjected  to  much  handling,  almost 
any  of  the  brilliant  mordants  used  in  wool  and  cotton 
dyeing  may  be  employed  in  an  alcoholic  solution; 
but  when  thus  colored  it  has  an  unnatural  appearance, 
and  is  best  used  on  small  surfaces  only,  for  inlaying, 
etc.  The  ebonized  wood,  of  late  years  so  much  in 
vogue,  is  in  many  respects  the  most  unsatisfactory  of 
the  stains,  as  the  natural  character  and  markings  are 
completely  blotted  out,  and  it  shows  the  least  scratch 
or  rubbing.  Sometimes,  in  consequence  of  the  quality 
of  the  wood  under  treatment,  it  must  be  freed  from  its 
natural  colors  by  a  preliminary  bleaching  process.  To 
this  end  it  is  saturated  as  completely  as  possible  with 
a  clear  solution  of  17%  oz.  chloride  of  lime  and  2  oz. 
soda  crystals,  in  10}4  pints  water.  In  this  liquid  the 
wood  is  steeped  for  hour,  if  it  does  not  appear  to 
injure  its  texture.  After  this  bleaching,  it  is  immersed 
in  a  solution  of  sulphurous  acid  to  remove  all  traces 
of  chlorine,  and  then  washed  in  pure  water.  The 
sulphurous  acid,  which  may  cling  to  the  wood  in  spite 
of  washing,  does  not  appear  to  injure  it,  nor  alter  the 
colors  which  are  applied. 

Black. — (1)  Obtained  by  boiling  together  blue 
Brazil-wood,  powdered  gall-apples,  and  alum,  in  rain 
or  river  water,  until  it  becomes  black.  This  liquid  is 
then  filtered  through  a  fine  organdie,  and  the  objects 
painted  with  a  new  brush  before  the  decoction  has 
cooled,  and  this  repeated  until  the  wood  appears  of 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


2; 


a  fine  black  color.  It  Is  then  coated  with  the  follow¬ 
ing  liquid:  A  mixture  of  iron  filings,  vitriol,  and 
vinegar  is  heated  (without  boiling),  and  left  a  few 
days  to  settle.  Even  if  the  wood  is  black  enough,  yet, 
for  the  sake  of  durability,-  it  must  be  coated  with  a 
solution  of  alum  and  nitric  acid,  mixed  with  a  little 
verdigris;  then  a  decoction  of  gall-apples  and  logwood 
dyes  is  used  to  give  it  a  deep  black.  A  decoction  may 
be  made  of  brown  Brazil-wood  with  alum  in  rain¬ 
water,  without  gall-apples;  the  wood  is  left  standing 
in  it  for  some  days  in  a  moderately  warm  place,  and 
to  it  merely  iron  filings  in  strong  vinegar  are  added, 
,and  both  are  boiled  with  the  wood  over  a  gentle  fire. 
For  this  purpose  soft  pear-wood  is  chosen,  which  is 
preferable  to  all  others  for  black  staining. 

(2)  1  oz.  nut-gall  broken  into  small  pieces,  put  into 
barely  y2  pint  vinegar,  which  must  be  contained  in  an 
open  vessel;  let  stand  for  about  y2  hour;  add  1  oz. 
steel  filings;  the  vinegar  will  then  commence  effer¬ 
vescing;  cover  up,  but  not  sufficient  to  exclude  all  air. 
The  solution  must  then  stand  for  about  2^/2  hours,  when 
it  will  be  ready  for  use.  Apply  the  solution  with  a 
brush  or  piece  of  rag  to  the  article,  then  let  it  remain 
until  dry;  if  not  black  enough,  coat  it  until  it  is — each 
time,  of  course,  letting  it  remain  sufficiently  15ng  to 
dry  thoroughly.  After  the  solution  is  made,  keep  it 
in  a  closely  corked  bottle. 

(3)  One  gal.  water,  I  lb.  logwood  chips,  y2  lb.  black 
copperas,  y2  lb.  extract  of  logwood,  y2  lb.  indigo  blue, 
2  oz.  lampblack.  Put  these  into  an  iron  pot  and  boil 
them  over  a  slow  fire.  When  the  mixture  is  cool, 
strain  it  through  a  cloth,  add  y  oz.  nut-gall.  It  is 
then  ready  for  use.  This  is  a  good  black  for  all  kinds 
of  cheap  work. 


28 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


(4)  Two  hundred  fifty  parts  of  Campeachy  wood, 
2000  water,  and  30  copper  sulphate;  the  wood  is 
allowed  to  stand  24  hours  in  (his  liquor,  dried  in  the 
air,  and  finally  immersed  in  iron  nitrate  liquor  at  40  B. 

(5)  Boil  8 Y\  oz.  logwood  in  70  oz.  water  and  I  oz. 
blue  stone,  and  steep  the  wood  for  24  hours.  Take 
out,  expose  to  the  air  for  a  long  time,  and  then  steep 
for  12  hours  in  a  solution  of  iron  nitrate  at  40  B.  If 
the  black  is  not  fine,  steep  again  in  the  logwood  liquor. 

(6)  It  is  customary  to  employ  the  clear  liquid 
obtained  by  treating  2  parts  powdered  galls  with  15 
parts  wine,  and  mixing  the  filtered  liquid  with  a 
solution  of  iron  protosulphate.  Reimann  recommends 
the  use  of  water  in  the  place  of  wine. 

(7)  Almost  any  wood  can  be  dyed  black  by  the 
following  means:  Take  logwood  extract  such  as  is 
found  in  commerce,  powder  1  oz.,  and  boil  it  in  3^ 
pints  of  water;  when  the  extract  is  dissolved,  add  1  dr. 
potash  yellow  chromate  (not  the  bichromate),  and 
agitate  the  whole.  The  operation  is  now  finished,  and 
the  liquid  will  serve  equally  well  to  write  with  or  to 
stain  wood.  Its  color  is  a  very  fine  dark  purple,  which 
becomes  a  pure  black  when  applied  to  the  wood. 

(8)  For  black  and  gold  furniture,  procure  I  lb.  log¬ 
wood  chips,  add  2  qt.  water,  boil  1  hour,  brush  the 
liquor  in  hot,  when  dry  give  another  coat.  Now 
procure  1  oz.  green  copperas,  dissolve  it  in  warm 
water,  well  mix,  and  brush  the  solution  over  the  wood; 
it  will  bring  out  a  fine  black;  but  the  wood  should  be 
dried  outdoors,  as  the  black  sets  better.  A  common 
stove  brush  is  best.  If  polish  cannot  be  used,  proceed 
as  follows:  Fill  up  the  grain  with  black  glue — i . e . , 
thin  glue  and  lampblack — brushed  over  the  parls 
accessible  (not  in  the  carvings) ;  when  dry,  paper  down 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


29 


with  fine  paper.  Now  procure,  say,  a  gill  of  French 
polish,  in  which  mix  1  oz.  best  ivory  black,  or  gas- 
black  is  best,  well  shake  it  until  quite  a  thick  pasty 
mass,  procure  y2  pint  brown  hard  varnish,  pour  a 
portion  into  a  cup,  add  enough  black  polish  to  make  it 
quite  dark,  then  varnish  the  work;  two  thin  coats  are 
better  than  one  thick  coat.  The  first  coat  may  be 
sandpapered  down  where  accessible,  as  it  will  look 
better.  A  coat  of  glaze  over  the  whole  gives  a  piano 
finish.  N.B. — Enough  varnish  should  be  mixed  at 
once  for  the  job  to  make  it  all  one  color — i.e.,  good 
black. 

(9)  For  table.  Wash  the  surface  of  table  with 
liquid  ammonia,  applied  with  a  piece  of  rag;  the 
varnish  will  then  peel  off  like  a  skin;  afterwards 
smooth  down  with  fine  sandpaper.  Mix  y  lb. 
lampblack  with  1  qt.  hot  water,  adding  a  little  glue 
size;  rub  this  stain  well  in;  let  it  dry  before  sand¬ 
papering  it;  smooth  again.  Mind  you  do  not  work 
through  the  stain.  Afterwards  apply  the  following 
black  varnish  with  a  broad,  fine  camel-hair  brush:  Mix 
a  small  quantity  of  gas-black  with  the  varnish.  If 
one  coat  of  varnish  is  not  sufficient,  apply  a  second 
one  after  the  first  is  dry.  Gas-black  can  be  obtained 
by  boiling  a  pot  over  the  gas,  letting  the  pot  nearly 
touch  the  burner,  when  a  fine  jet  black  will  form  00 
the  bottom,  which  remove,  and  mix  with  the  varnish. 
Copper  vessels  give  the  best  black;  it  may  be  collected 
from  barbers’  warming  pots. 

(10)  Black-board  wash,  or  “liquid  slating.” — {a) 
Four  pints  95  per  cent  alcohol,  8  oz.  shellac,  12  dr. 
lampblack,  20  dr.  ultramarine  blue,  4  oz.  powdered 
rotten  stone,  6  oz.  powdered  pumice.  ( b )  1  gal.  95  pel 
cent  alcohol,  I  lb.  shellac,  8  oz.  best  ivory  black,  5  oz. 


30 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


finest  flour  emery,  4  oz.  ultramarine  blue.  Make  a 
perfect  solution  of  the  shellac  in  the  alcohol  before 
adding  the  other  articles.  To  apply  the  slating,  have 
the  surface  smooth  and  perfectly  free  from  grease; 
well  shake  the  bottle  containing  the  preparation,  and 
pour  out  a  small  quantity  only  into  a  dish,  and  apply 
it  with  a  new  flat  varnish  brush  as  rapidly  as  possible. 
Keep  the  bottle  well  corked,  and  shake  it  up  each 
time  before  pouring  out  the  liquid,  (c)  Lampblack 
and  flour  of  emery  mixed  with  spirit  varnish.  No 
more  lampblack  and  flour  of  emery  should  be  used  than 
are  sufficient  to  give  the  required  black  abrading  sur¬ 
face.  The  thinner  the  mixture  the  better.  Lamp¬ 
black  should  first  be  ground  with  a  small  quantity  of 
spirit  varnish  or  alcohol  to  free  it  from  lumps.  The 
composition  should  be  applied  to  the  smoothly  planed 
surface  of  a  board  with  a  common  paint  brush.  Let  it 
become  thoroughly  dry  and  hard  before  it  is  used. 
Rub  it  down  with  pumice  if  too  rough,  (d)  ^  gal. 
shellac  varnish,  5  oz.  lampblack,  3  oz.  powdered  iron 
ore  or  emery;  if  too  thick,  thin  with  alcohol.  Give 
3  coals  of  the  composition,  allowing  each  to  dry  before 
putting  on  the  next;  the  first  may  be  of  shellac  and 
lampblack  alone.  ( e )  To  make  1  gal.  of  the  paint  for 
a  blackboard,  take  10  oz.  pulverized  and  sifted  pumice, 
6  oz.  powdered  rotten  stone  (infusorial  silica),  ^  lb. 
good  lampblack,  and  alcohol  enough  to  form  with 
these  a  thick  paste,  which  must  be  well  rubbed  and 
ground  together.  Then  dissolve  14  oz.  shellac  in  the 
remainder  of  the  gallon  of  alcohol  by  digestion  and 
agitation,  and  finally  mix  this  varnish  and  the  paste 
together.  It  is  applied  to  the  board  with  a  brush,  care 
being  taken  to  keep  the  paint  well  stirred,  so  that  the 
pumice  will  not  settle.  Two  coats  are  usually  necessary. 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER  H 

The  first  should  be  allowed  to  dry  thoroughly  before 
the  second  is  put  on,  the  latter  being  applied  so  as  not 
to  disturb  or  rub  off  any  portion  of  the  first.  One 
gallon  of  this  paint  will  ordinarily  furnish  2  coats  for  60 
sq.  yd.  of  blackboard.  When  the  paint  is  to  be  put 
on  plastered  walls,  the  wall  should  be  previously 
coated  with  glue  size — I  lb.  glue,  I  gal.  water,  enough 
lampblack  to  color;  put  on  hot.  (/)  Instead  of  the 
alcohol  mentioned  in  b ,  take  a  solution  of  borax  in 
water;  dissolve  the  shellac  in  this  and  color  with 
lampblack.  {£)  Dilute  soda  silicate  (water-glass)  with 
an  equal  bulk  of  water,  and  add  sufficient  lampblack 
to  color  it.  The  lampblack  should  be  ground  with 
water  and  a  little  of  the  silicate  before  being  added  to 
the  rest  of  the  liquid 

(n)  17.5  oz.  Brazil-wood  and  0.525  oz.  alum  are 
boiled  for  1  hour  in  2.75  lb.  water.  The  colored 
liquor  is  then  filtered  from  the  boiled  Brazil-wood, 
and  applied  several  times  boiling  hot  to  the  wood  to 
be  stained.  This  will  assume  a  violet  color.  This 
violet  color  can  be  easily  changed  into  black  by 
preparing  a  solution  of  2.1  oz.  iron  filings,  and  1.05 
oz.  common  salt  in  17.5  oz.  vinegar.  The  solution  is 
filtered,  and  applied  to  the  wood,  which  will  then 
acquire  a  beautiful  black  color. 

(12)  8.75  oz.  gall-nuts  and  2.2  lb.  logwood  are 
boiled  in  2.2  lb.  rain-water  for  1  hour  in  a  copper 
boiler.  The  decoction  is  then  filtered  through  a  cloth, 
and  applied  several  times  while  it  is  still  warm  to  the 
article  of  wood  to  be  stained.  In  this  manner  a  beauti¬ 
ful  black  will  be  obtained. 

(13)  This  is  prepared  by  dissolving  0.525  oz.  log¬ 
wood  extract  in  2.2  lb.  hot  rain-water,  and  by  adding 
to  the  logwood  solution  0.035  oz.  potash  chromate. 


32 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


When  this  is  applied  several  times  to  the  article  to  be 
stained,  a  dark  brown  color  will  first  be  obtained.  To 
change  this  into  a  deep  chrome-black,  the  solution  of 
iron  filings,  common  salt,  and  vinegar,  given  under 
(il)  is  applied  to  the  wood,  and  the  desired  color  will 
be  produced. 

(14)  Several  coats  of  alizarine  ink  are  applied  to 
the  wood,  but  every  coat  must  be  thoroughly  dry 
before  the  other  is  put  on.  When  the  articles  are  dry, 
the  solution  of  iron  filings,  common  salt,  and  vinegar, 
as  given  in  (11),  is  applied  to  the  wood,  and  a  very 
durable  black  will  be  obtained. 

(15)  According  to  Herzog,  a  black  stain  for  wood, 
giving  to  it  a  color  resembling  ebony,  is  obtained  by 
treating  the  wood  with  two  fluids,  one  after  the  other. 
The  first  fluid  to  be  used  consists  of  a  very  concentrated 
solution  of  logwood,  and  to  O.35  oz.  of  this  fluid  are 
added  0.017  oz.  alum.  The  other  fluid  is  obtained  by 
digesting  iron  filings  in  vinegar.  After  the  wood  has 
been  dipped  in  the  first  hot  fluid,  it  is  allowed  to  dry, 
and  is  then  treated  with  the  second  fluid,  several  times 
if  necessary. 

(16)  Sponge  the  wood  with  a  solution  of  aniline 
chlorhydrate  in  water,  to  which  a  small  quantity  of 
copper  chloride  is  added.  Allow  it  to  dry,  and  go 
over  it  with  a  solution  of  potassium  bichromate. 
Repeat  the  process  two  or  three  times,  and  the  wood 
will  take  a  fine  black  color. 

Blue. — (1)  Powder  a  little  Prussian  blue,  and  mix  to 
the  consistency  of  paint  with  beer;  brush  it  on  the 
wood,  and  when  dry  size  it  with  glue  dissolved  in 
boiling  water;  apply  lukewarm,  and  let  this  dry  also; 
then  varnish  or  French  polish. 

(2)  Indigo  solution,  or  a  concentrated  hot  solution 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


33 


of  blue  vitriol,  followed  by  a  dip  in  a  solution  ol 
washing  soda. 

(3)  Prepare  as  for  violet,  and  dye  with  aniline  blue. 

(4)  A  beautiful  blue  stain  is  obtained  by  gradually 
stirring  0.52  oz.  finely  powdered  indigo  into  4.2  oz. 
sulphuric  acid  of  60  per  cent,  and  by  exposing  this 
mixture  for  12  hours  to  a  temperature  of  770  F.  (250 
C.).  The  mass  is  then  poured  into  11-13.2  lb.  rain- 
water,  and  filtered  through  felt.  This  filtered  water 
is  applied  several  times  to  the  wood,  until  the  desired 
color  has  been  obtained.  The  more  the  solution  is 
diluted  with  water,  the  lighter  will  be  the  color. 

(5)  1.05  oz.  finest  indigo  carmine,  dissolved  in  8.75 
oz.  water,  applied  several  times  to  the  articles  to  be 
stained.  A  very  fine  blue  is  in  this  manner  obtained. 

(6)  3.5  oz.  French  verdigris  are  dissolved  in  3.5  oz. 
urine  and  8.75  oz.  wine  vinegar.  The  solution  is 
filtered  and  applied  to  the  article  to  be  stained.  Then 
a  solution  of  2.1  oz.  potash  carbonate  in  8.75  oz.  rain¬ 
water  is  prepared,  and  the  article  colored  with  the 
verdigris  is  brushed  over  with  this  solution  until  the 
desired  blue  color  makes  its  appearance. 

(7)  The  newest  processes  of  staining  wood  blue  are 
those  with  aniline  colors.  The  following  colors  may 
be  chosen  for  the  staining  liquor:  Bleu  de  Lyon 
(reddish  blue),  bleu  de  lumiere  (pure  blue),  light  blue 
(greenish  blue).  These  colors  are  dissolved  in  the 
proportion  of  I  part  coloring  substance  to  30  of  spirit 
of  wine,  and  the  wood  is  treated  with  the  solution. 

Brown. — (1)  Various  tones  may  be  produced  by 
mordanting  with  potash  chromate,  and  applying  a 
decoction  of  fustic,  of  logwood,  or  of  peachwood. 

(2)  Sulphuric  acid,  more  or  less  diluted  according  to 
the  intensity  of  the  color  to  be  produced,  is  applied 


34 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


with  a  brush  to  the  wood,  previously  cleaned  and 
dried.  A  lighter  or  darker  brown  stain  is  obtained, 
according  to  the  strength  of  the  acid.  When  the  acid 
has  acted  sufficiently,  its  further  action  is  arrested  by 
the  application  of  ammonia. 

(3)  Tincture  of  iodine  yields  a  fine  brown  color¬ 
ation,  which,  however,  is  not  permanent  unless  the  air 
is  excluded  by  a  thick  coating  of  polish. 

(4)  A  simple  brown  wash  is  y2  oz.  alkanet  root,  1 
oz.  aloes,  1  oz.  dragons’  blood,  digested  in  1  lb.  alcohol. 
This  is  applied  after  the  wood  has  been  washed  with 
aqua  regia,  but  is,  like  all  the  alcoholic  washes,  not 
very  durable. 

Ebonizing. — (1)  Boil  1  lb.  logwood  chips  1  hour  in  2 
qt.  water;  brush  the  hot  liquor  over  the  work  to  be 
stained,  lay  aside  to  dry;  when  dry  give  another  coat, 
still  using  it  hot.  When  the  second  coat  is  dry,  brush 
the  following  liquor  over  the  work:  1  oz.  green 
copperas  to  1  qt.  hot  water,  to  be  used  when  the 
copperas  is  all  dissolved.  It  will  bring  out  an  intense 
black  when  dry.  For  staining,  the  work  must  not  be 
dried  by  fire,  but  in  the  sunshine,  if  possible;  if  not, 
in  a  warm  room,  away  from  the  fire.  To  polish  this 
work,  first  give  a  coating  of  very  thin  glue  size,  and 
when  quite  dry  paper  off  very  lightly  with  No.  o  paper, 
only  just  enough  to  render  smooth,  but  not  to  remove 
the  black  stain.  Then  make  a  rubber  of  wadding 
about  the  size  of  a  walnut,  moisten  the  rubber  with 
French  polish,  cover  the  whole  tightly  with  a  double 
linen  rag,  put  one  drop  of  oil  on  the  surface,  and  rub 
the  work  with  a  circular  motion.  Should  the  rubber 
stick  it  requires  more  polish.  Previous  to  putting  the 
French  polish  on  the  wadding  pledget,  it  ought  to  be 
mixed  with  the  best  drop  black,  in  the  proportion  of 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


35 


y [  oz.  drop  black  to  a  gill  of  French  polish.  When  the 
work  has  received  one  coat,  set  it  aside  to  dry  for 
about  an  hour.  After  the  first  coat  is  laid  on  and 
thoroughly  dry,  it  should  be  partly  papered  off  with 
No.  o  paper.  This  brings  the  surface  even,  and  at  the 
same  time  fills  up  the  grain.  Now  give  a  second  coat 
as  before.  Allow  24  hours  to  elapse,  again  paper  off, 
and  give  a  final  coat  as  before.  Now  comes  “spiriting 
off.”  Great  care  must  be  used  here,  or  the  work  will 
be  dull  instead  of  bright.  A  clean  rubber  must  be 
made,  as  previously  described,  but  instead  of  being 
moistened  with  polish  it  must  be  wetted  with  spirits 
of  wine  placed  in  a  linen  rag  screwed  into  a  tight, 
even-surfaced  ball,  just  touched  on  the  face  with  a 
drop  of  oil,  and  then  rubbed  lightly  and  quickly  in 
circular  sweeps  all  over  the  work  from  top  to  bottom. 
One  application  of  spirits  is  usually  enough  if  sufficient 
has  been  placed  on  the  rubber  at  the  outset,  but  it  is 
better  to  use  rather  too  little  than  too  much  at  a 
time,  as  an  excess  will  entirely  remove  the  polish, 
when  the  work  will  have  to  be  polished  again.  Should 
this  be  the  case,  paper  off  at  once,  and  commence  as 
at  first.  It  is  the  best  way  in  the  end.  ( Smither .) 

(2)  Lauber  dissolves  extract  of  logwood  in  boiling 
water  until  the  solution  indicates  o°  Beaume.  Five  pints 
of  the  solution  is  then  mixed  with  2^  pints  pyrolig¬ 
neous  iron  mordant  of  io°,  and  y^  pint  acetic  acid  of 
2°.  The  mixture  is  heated  for  %  hour,  and  is  then 
ready  for  use. 

(3)  To  imitate  black  ebony,  first  wet  the  wood  with 
a  solution  of  logwood  and  copperas,  boiled  together 
and  laid  on  hot.  For  this  purpose,  2  oz.  logwood 
chips  with  1  y2  oz.  copperas,  to  1  qt.  water,  will  be 
required.  When  the  work  has  become  dry,  wet  the 


36 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


surface  again  with  a  mixture  of  vinegar  and  steel 
filings.  This  mixture  may  be  made  by  dissolving  2  oz. 
steel  filings  in  ^  pint  vinegar.  When  the  work  has 
become  dry  again,  sandpaper  down  until  quite  smooth. 
Then  oil  and  fill  in  with  powdered  drop  black  mixed  in  . 
the  filler.  Work  to  be  ebonized  should  be  smooth  and 
free  from  holes,  etc.  The  work  may  receive  a  light 
coat  of  quick-drying  varnish,  and  then  be  rubbed  with 
finely  pulverized  pumice  and  linseed  oil  until  very 
smooth. 

(4)  One  gal.  strong  vinegar,  2  lb.  extract  of  logwood, 
%  lb.  green  copperas,  lb.  China  blue,  and  2  oz. 
nut-gall.  Put  these  in  an  iron  pot,  and  boil  them  over 
a  slow  fire  till  they  are  well  dissolved.  When  cool, 
the  mixture  is  ready  for  use.  Add  to  the  above  *4  pint 
iron  rust,  which  may  be  obtained  by  scraping  rusty 
hoops,  or  preferably  by  steeping  iron  filings  in  a 
solution  of  acetic  acid  or  strong  vinegar. 

(5)  Common  ebony  stain  is  obtained  by  preparing 
two  baths;  the  first,  applied  warm,  consists  of  a  log¬ 
wood  decoction,  to  every  quart  of  which  1  dr.  alum  is 
added;  the  second  is  a  solution  of  iron  filings  in 
vinegar.  After  the  wood  has  dried  from  the  first,  the 
second  is  applied  as  often  as  is  required.  For  the 
first-named  bath,  some  substitute  16  oz.  gall-nut,  4 
oz.  logwood  dust,  and  2  oz.  verdigris,  boiled  in  a 
sufficient  quantity  of  water.  A  peculiar  method  of 
blackening  walnut  is  in  use  in  Nurnberg.  On  one  of 
the  Pegnitz  Islands  there  is  a  large  grinding-mill,  turned 
by  the  stream,  where  iron  tools  are  sharpened  and 
polished.  The  wood  is  buried  for  a  week  or  more  in 
the  slime  formed  by  the  wheels;  when  dug  out  ;t 
jet  black,  and  so  permeated  by  silica  as  to  be  in  effect 
petrified.  Another  way  to  ebonize  flat  surfaces  of  soft 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


37 


wor,k  is  to  rub  very  fine  charcoal  dust  into  the  pores 
with  oil.  This  works  beautifully  with  basswood  and 
American  whitewood.  A  brown  mahogany-like  stain 
is  best  used  on  elm  and  walnut.  Take  a  pint  decoction 
of  2  oz.  logwood  in  which  y2  oz.  barium  chloride  has 
been  dissolved.  This  gives  also,  when  diluted  with 
soft  water,  a ’good  oak  stain  to  ash  and  chestnut.  Bjt 
the  most  beautiful  and  lasting  of  the  browns  is  a  con¬ 
centrated  solution  of  potash  permanganate  (mineral 
chameleon).  This  is  decomposed  by  the  woody  fiber, 
and  forms  hydrated  manganese  oxide,  which  is 
permanently  fixed  by  the  alkali. 

(6)  For  the  fine  black  ebony  stain,  apple,  pear,  and 
hazel  wood  are  the  best  woods  to  use;  when  stained 
black,  they  are  most  complete  imitations  of  the 
natural  ebony.  For  the  stain  take:  gall-apple,  14  oz.; 
rasped  logwood,  3^  oz  ;  vitriol,  iy  oz. ;  verdigris, 
1  y  oz.  For  the  second  coating  a  mixture  of  iron 
filings  (pure),  3^  oz.,  dissolved  in  strong  wine  vinegar; 
1  y2  pint  is  warmed,  and  when  cool  the  wood  already 
blackened  is  coated  2  or  3  times  with  it,  allowing  it 
to  dry  after  each  coat.  For  articles  which  are  to 
be  thoroughly  saturated,  a  mixture  of  iy  oz.  sal- 
ammoniac,  with  a  sufficient  quantity  of  steel  filings,  is 
to  be  placed  in  a  suitable  vessel,  strong  vinegar  poured 
upon  it,  and  left  for  14  days  in  a  gently  heated  oven. 
A  strong  lye  is  now  put  into  a  suitable  pot,  to  which 
is  added  coarsely  bruised  gall-apples  and  blue  Brazil 
shavings,  and  exposed  for  the  same  time  as  the  former 
to  the  gentle  heat  of  an  oven,  which  will  then  yield  a 
good  liquid.  The  woods  are  now  laid  in  the  first- 
named  stain,  boiled  for  a  few  hours,  and  left  in  it  for  3 
days  longer;  they  are  then  placed  in  the  second  stain 
and  treated  as  in  the  first.  If  the  articles  are  not  then 


38 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


thoroughly  saturated,  they  may  be  once  more  placed 
in  the  first  bath,  and  then  in  the  second.  The  polish 
used  for  wood  that  is  stained  black  should  be  “white” 
(colorless)  polish,  to  which  a  very  little  finely  ground 
Prussian  blue  should  be  added. 

(7)  Wash  with  a  concentrated  aqueous  solution  of 
logwood  extract  several  times;  then  with  a  solution 
of  iron  acetate  of  140  B.,  which  is  repeated  until  a  deep 
black  is  produced. 

(8)  Beech,  pear-tree,  or  nolly  steeped  in  a  strong 
liquor  of  logwood  or  galls.  Let  the  wood  dry,  and 
wash  over  with  solution  of  iron  sulphate.  Wash  with 
clean  water,  and  repeat  if  color  is  not  dark  enough. 
Polish  either  with  black  or  common  French  polish. 

(9)  Oak  is  immersed  for  48  hours  in  a  hot  saturated 
solution  of  alum,  and  then  brushed  over  several  times 
with  a  logwood  decoction  prepared  as  follows:  Boil  1 
part  best  logwood  with  10  of  water,  filter  through  linen, 
and  evaporate  at  a  gentle  heat  until  the  volume  is 
reduced  one-half.  To  every  quart  of  this  add  10  to  15 
drops  of  a  saturated  solution  of  indigo,  completely 
neutral.  After  applying  this  dye  to  the  wood,  rub 
the  latter  with  a  saturated  and  filtered  solution  of 
verdigris  in  hot  concentrated  acetic  acid,  and  repeat 
the  operation  until  a  black  of  the  desired  intensity  is 
obtained.  Oak  thus  stained  is  said  to  be  a  close  as 
well  as  handsome  imitation  of  ebony. 

(10)  One  lb.  logwood  chips,  3  pints  water;  boil  to  1 
pint;  apply  hot  to  wood;  let  dry;  then  give  another 
coat;  let  dry  slowly;  sandpaper  smooth;  mix  1  gill 
vinegar  with  3  tablespoonfuls  iron  or  steel  filings;  let 
stand  5  hours,  then  brush  on  wood;  let  dry;  then  give 
another  coat  of  the  first.  This  sends  the  vinegar 
deeper  into  the  wood  and  makes  a  denser  black;  after 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


39 


which  paper  smooth.  Then  polish  with  white  French 
polish,  as  the  white  brings  out  the  black  purer  than 
common  French  polish.  The  woods  observed  to  take 
on  the  stain  best  are  pear-tree,  plane-tree,  and  straight- 
reeded  birch;  mahogany  does  not  stain  nearly  so  well 
as  the  former  .woods. 

(n)  Get  i  lb.  logwood  chips  and  boil  them  down  in 
enough  water  to  make  a  good  dark  color;  give  the 
furniture  3  or  4  coats  with  a  sponge;  then  put  some 
rusty  nails  or  old  iron  into  a  bottle  with  some  vinegar, 
and  when  it  begins  to  work  give  the  furniture  a  coat 
of  the  vinegar.  This,  if  you  have  well  darkened  it 
with  the  first,  will  give  you  a  good  black.  Oil  and 
polish  in  the  usual  way,  rubbing  down  first  with  fine 
paper  if  required.  A  quicker  way  is  to  give  the  wood 
a  coat  of  size  and  lampblack,  and  then  use  gas-black 
in  your  polish  rubber 

(12)  Make  a  strong  decoction  of  logwood  by  boiling 
1  lb.  in  1  qt.  water  for  about  1  hour;  add  thereto  a 
piece  of  washing  soda  as  large  as  a  hazel-nut.  Apply 
hot  to  the  wood  with  a  soft  brush.  Allow  to  dry,  then 
paint  over  the  wood  with  a  solution  of  iron  sulphate  (1 
oz.  to  the  pint  of  water).  Allow  this  to  dry,  and 
repeat  the  logwood  and  iron  sulphate  for  at  least  3 
times,  finishing  off  with  logwood.  Once  more  allow 
to  dry  thoroughly,  then  sandpaper  off  very  lightly  (so 
as  not  to  remove  the  dye)  with  No.  o  paper.  Now 
make  a  very  thin  glue  size,  boil  in  it  a  few  chips  of 
logwood  and  a  crystal  or  two  of  iron  sulphate,  just 
sufficient  to  make  it  inky  black.  Paint  this  lightly 
over  the  work,  allow  to  dry  once  more,  again  sand¬ 
paper  lightly,  and  finally  either  varnish  with  good 
hard  white  varnish,  or  polish  with  French  polish  and 
drop  black. 


40 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


Floors.  —  (i)  Get  the  wood  clean,  have  some  Vandyke 
brown  and  burnt  sienna  ground  in  water,  mix  it  in 
strong  size,  put  on  with  a  whitewash  or  new  paint 
brush  as  evenly  as  you  can.  When  dry,  give  2  coats 
of  copal  or  oak  varnish. 

(2)  If  the  floor  is  a  new  one,  have  the  border  well 
washed.  Polish  with  sandpaper,  rubbing  always  with 
the  grain  of  the  wood.  Varnish  with  good  oak  varnish, 
put  coloring  matter  into  the  varnish  to  suit  your  taste, 
but  umber  is  best;  if  the  floor  is  old  and  blackened, 
paint  it. 

(3)  If  old  floors,  you  will  not  make  much  of  staining 
anything  but  black.  The  floor  is  to  be  well  washed 
(lime  and  soda  is  best — no  soap),  the  dye  painted  on, 
and,  when  dry,  sized  over  and  varnished  with  elastic 
oak  varnish. 

(4)  Take  Y*  lb.  logwood  chips,  boil  them  briskly  for 
Yz  hour  in  about  5  qt.  rain-water,  and  strain  through 
muslin.  To  this  liquor  add  6  oz.  annatto  (in  the  form 
of  cake — not  the  roll);  add  also  1  lb.  of  yellow  wax 
cut  up  in  very  small  pieces.  Place  these  over  the 
fire,  and  let  the  wax  melt,  gently  stirring  it  all  the 
while.  When  melted,  take  the  mixture  off  the  fire; 
do  not  let  it  boil.  Then  with  a  paint  brush  lay  it  on 
the  floor  as  hot  as  possible,  brushing  it  always  the  way 
of  the  grain.  Next  day  polish  with  a  hard,  flat  brush 
made  of  hair,  which  may  have  a  strap  nailed  to  the 
back  of  it  in  which  to  insert  the  foot.  The  floor  is 
afterwards  kept  bright  with  beeswax  alone,  a  little  of 
which  is  melted  and  put  on  the  brush.  Take  care 
that  the  floor  is  thoroughly  dry  before  commencing 
operations. 

(5)  Melt  some  glue  size  in  a  bottle;  next  get  a  pieCv. 
of  rag,  roll  it  into  a  ball  so  that  it  will  fit  the  hand 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


4i 


nicely,  cover  this  with  a  bit  of  old  calico  to  make  a 
smooth  face;  dip  this  into  the  size,  and  rub  in  a  bit  of 
brown  umber;  then  go  ahead  with  your  floors,  working 
the  stuff  light  or  dark  as  required.  Keep  the  motion 
with  the  grain  of  wood;  when  dry,  stiffen  with 
polishers’  glaze. 

(6)  Take  Judson’s  dyes  of  the  color  required,  mix 
according  to  the  instructions  given  with  each  bottle, 
and  apply  with  a  piece  of  rag,  previously  trying  it  on 
a  piece  of  wood  to  see  if  color  would  suit;  rub  with 
sandpaper  to  get  off  any  roughness  that  may  be  raised 
with  the  damp,  and  varnish  with  fine,  pale  hard 
varnish,  then  slightly  sandpaper  and  varnish  again. 
Another  method  is  to  boil  1  lb.  logwood  in  an  old 
boiler,  then  apply  with  a  piece  of  rag  where  the  stain 
is  required;  when  thoroughly  dry,  sandpaper  as  before, 
and  well  rub  with  beeswax  to  polish.  This  last  proc¬ 
ess  looks  best  when  finished,  but  it  requires  a  lot  of 
elbow  grease  for  a  few  months,  and  is  extremely 
durable.  To  prevent  the  stain  running  where  you  do 
not  want  it,  paste  some  stout  paper. 

(7)  As  a  general  rule,  I  qt.  of  the  staining  liquid 
will  be  found -sufficient  to  cover  about  16  sq.  yd.  of 
flooring;  but  different  kinds  of  woods  absorb  in 
different  proportions,  soft  woods  requiring  more  for 
the  same  space  than  hard  woods.  The  colors  of  the 
stains  are  various,  so  that  one  may  either  choose 
ebony,  walnut,  mahogany,  rosewood,  satinwood,  oak, 
medium  oak,  or  maple,  according  to  the  paleness  or 
depth  of  color  desired.  Besides  this,  4  lb.  of  size  and 
2^  pints  of  the  best  varnish  are  required  to  finish  the 
16  yd.  above  mentioned.  The  necessary  purchases 
are  completed  by  a  good-sized  painters’  brush  and  a 
smaller  one.  The  work  can  then  be  commenced.  If 


42 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


the  wood  is  uneven,  it  must  be  planed,  and  rubbed 
down  to  a  smooth  surface;  whilst  the  cracks  and  spaces 
between  the  boards,  if  very  wide,  may  be  disposed  of 
by  a  process  called  “slipping,”  by  which  pieces  of 
wood  are  fitted  in.  The  floor  must  next  be  carefully 
washed,  and  allowed  to  dry  thoroughly.  The  actual 
staining  may  now  be  proceeded  with.  The  liquid  is 
poured  out  into  a  basin,  and  spread  all  over  the  floor 
with  the  aid  of  the  large  brush,  the  small  one  being 
used  to  do  the  corners  and  along  the  wainscoting,  so 
that  it  may  not  be  smeared.  It  is  always  best  to  begin 
staining  at  the  farthest  corner  from  the  doorway,  and 
work  round  so  that  one’s  exit  may  not  be  impeded. 
It  is  also  a  good  plan  to  work  with  the  window  open, 
if  there  is  no  danger  of  much  dust  flying  in,  as  the 
staining  dries  so  much  quicker.  After  the  floor  is  quite 
covered,  the  stainer  may  rest  for  about  an  hour  whilst 
the  drying  is  going  on,  during  which  there  is  only  one 
thing  relative  to  the  work  in  hand  which  need  be 
attended  to.  This  is  the  size,  which  should  be  put  in 
a  large  basin  with  ^  pint  of  cold  water  to  each  pound, 
and  then  stood  in  a  warm  place  to  dissolve.  Before 
recommencing  work,  also,  the  brushes  must  be  washed, 
and  this  is  no  great  trouble,  as  a  little  lukewarm  water 
will  take  out  all  trace  of  the  stain  and  clean  them 
quite  sufficiently.  The  sizing  is  then  laid  on  in 
exactly  the  same  manner  as  the  staining,  always  being 
careful  to  pass  the  brush  lengthwise  down  the  boards. 
If  the  size  froths  or  sticks  unpleasantly,  it  must  be  a 
little  more  diluted  with  warm  water,  and  sometimes,  if 
the  sediment  from  it  is  very  thick,  it  is  all  the  better 
for  being  strained  through  a  coarse  muslin.  The 
sizing  takes  rather  longer  than  the  varnish  to  dry,  2  or 
more  hours  being  necessary,  even  on  a  warm,  dry  day. 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


43 


Not  until  it  is  quite  dry,  however,  can  the  last  finish 
be  put  to  the  work  with  the  varnish.  For  this  it  is 
always  safest  to  get  the  very  best,  and  to  lay  it  on 
rather  literally,  though  very  evenly,  and  over  every 
single  inch,  as  the  staining  will  soon  rub  off  when  not 
protected  by  it.  The  best  way  to  ascertain  whether 
it  is  varnished  all  over  is  to  kneel  down  and  look  at 
the  floor  sideways,  with  one’s  eyes  almost  on  a  level 
with  it. 

Green. — (i)  Mordant  the  wood  with  red  liquor  at  i° 
B.  This  is  prepared  by  dissolving  separately  in  water 
I  part  sugar  of  lead  and  4  of  alum  free  from  iron;  mix 
the  solutions,  and  then  add  fa  part  of  soda  crystals, 
and  let  settle  overnight.  The  clear  liquor  is  decanted 
off  from  the  sediment  of  lead  sulphate,  and  is  then 
diluted  with  water  till  it  marks  l°  B.  The  wood  when 
mordanted  is  dyed  green  with  berry  liquor  and  indigo 
extract,  the  relative  proportions  of  which  determine 
the  tone  of  the  green. 

(2)  Verdigris  dissolved  in  4  parts  water. 

(3)  4.2  oz.  copper,  cut  up  finely,  are  gradually 
dissolved  in  13  oz.  nitric  acid  (aqua  fortis),  and  the 
articles  to  be  stained  are  boiled  in  this  solution  until 
they  have  assumed  a  fine  green  color. 

Gray. — (1)  Grays  may  be  produced  by  boiling  17  oz. 
orchil  paste  for  hour  in  7  pints  water.  The  wood 
is  first  treated  with  this  solution,  and  then,  before  it 
is  dry,  steeped  in  a  beck  of  iron  nitrate  at  i°  B.  An 
excess  of  iron  gives  a  yellowish  tone;  otherwise  a  blue 
gray  is  produced,  which  may  be  completely  converted 
into  blue  by  means  of  a  little  potash. 

(2)  One  part  silver  nitrate  dissolved  in  50  of 
distilled  water;  wash  over  twice;  then  with  hydro¬ 
chloric  acid,  and  afterwards  with  water  of  ammonia. 


44 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


The  wood  is  allowed  to  dry  in  the  dark,  and  then 
finished  in  oil  and  polished. 

Mahogany.  —  (i)  Boil  y2  lb.  madder  and  2  oz.  log¬ 
wood  chips  in  i  gal.  water,  and  brush  well  over  while 
hot.  When  dry,  go  over  with  pearlash  solution,  2  dr. 
to  the  quart.  By  using  it  strong  or  weak,  the  color 
can  be  varied  at  pleasure. 

(2)  Soak  I  lb.  stick  varnish  in  2  qt.  water  until  all 
the  color  is  dissolved  out;  strain  off  the  water,  and 
add  to  the  residue  25  dr.  powdered  madder.  Set  the 
mixture  over  the  fire  until  it  is  reduced  to  ^  of  its 
original  volume.  Then  mix  together  25  dr.  cochineal, 
25  dr.  kermes  berries,  I  pint  spirits  of  wine,  and  y2  oz. 
pearlash,  out  of  which  the  color  has  been  washed  by 
soaking  in  a  gill  of  soft  water.  Add  this  mixture  to 
the  decoction  of  madder  and  varnish,  stirring  well 
together,  and  adding  so  much  aqua  fortis  as  will  bring 
the  red  to  the  desired  shade. 

(3)  Dark  Mahogany. — Introduce  into  a  bottle  15  gr. 
alkanet  root,  30  gr.  aloes,  30  gr.  powdered  dragons’ 
blood,  and  500  gr.  95  per  cent  alcohol,  closing  the 
mouth  of  the  bottle  with  a  piece  of  bladder,  keeping 
it  in  a  warm  place  for  3  or  4  days,  with  occasional 
shaking,  then  filtering  the  liquid.  The  wood  is  first 
mordanted  with  nitric  acid,  and  when  dry  washed  with 
the  stain  once  or  oftener,  according  to  the  desired 
shade;  then,  the  wood  being  dried,  it  is  oiled  and 
polished. 

(4)  Light  Mahogany. — Same  as  dark  mahogany,  but 
the  stain  being  only  applied  once.  The  veins  of  true 
mahogany  may  be  imitated  by  the  use  of  iron  acefate 
skillfully  applied. 

(5)  The  following  process  is  recommended  in 
“Wiederhold’s  Trade  Circular:” — The  coarse  wood  is 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


45 


first  coated  with  a  colored  size,  which  is  prepared  by 
thoroughly  mixing  up,  in  a  warm  solution,  I  part 
commercial  glue  in  6  of-water,  a  sufficient  quantity  of 
the  commercial  mahogany  brown,  which  is  in  reality 
an  iron  oxide/and  in  color  stands  between  so-called 
Indian  red  and  iron  oxide.  This  is  best  effected  by 
adding  in  excess  a  sufficient  quantity  of  the  dry  color 
with  the  warm  solution  of  glue,  and  thoroughly 
mixing  the  mass  by  means  of  a  brush  until  a  uniform 
paste  is  obtained,  in  which  no  more  dry  red  particles 
are  seen.  A  trial  coat  is  then  laid  upon  a  piece  of 
wood.  If  it  is  desired  to  give  a  light  mahogany  color 
to  the  object,  it  is  only  necessary  to  add  less,  and,  for  a 
darker  color,  more,  of  the  brown  body-color.  When 
the  coat  is  dry,  it  may  be  tested,  by  rubbing  with  the 
fingers,  whether  the  color  easily  separates  or  not.  In 
the  former  case,  more  glue  must  be  added  until  the  dry 
trial  coat  no  longer  perceptibly  rubs  off  with  the 
hands.  Having  ascertained  in  this  way  the  right 
condition  of  the  size  color  with  respect  to  tint  and 
strength,  it  is  then  warmed  slightly,  and  worked 
through  a  hair  sieve  by  means  of  a  brush.  After  this, 
it  is  rubbed  upon  the  wood  surface  with  the  brush, 
which  has  been  carefully  washed.  It  is  not  necessary 
to  keep  the  color  warm  during  the  painting.  Should 
it  become  thick  by  gelatinizing,  it  may  be  laid  on  the 
wood  with  the  brush,  and  dries  more  rapidly  than 
when  the  color  is  too  thin.  If  the  wood  is  porous  and 
absorbs  much  color,  a  second  coat  may  be  laid  on  the 
first  when  dry,  which  will  be  sufficient  in  all  cases. 
On  drying,  the  size  color  appears  dull  and  unsightly, 
but  the  following  coat  changes  immediately  the 
appearance  of  the  surface.  This  coat  is  spirit  varnish. 
For  its  production  3  parts  spirits  of  wine  of  90°  are 


46 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


added  in  excess  to  I  part  of  red  acaroid  resin  in  one 
vessel,  and  in  another  io  parts  shellac  with  40  of 
spirits  of  wine  of  80%.  By  repeated  agitation  for  3  or 
4  days,  the  spirit  dissolves  the  resin  completely.  The 
shellac  solution  is  then  poured  carefully  from  the 
sediment,  or,  better  still,  filtered  through  a  fine  cloth, 
when  it  may  be  observed  that  a  slight  milky  turbidity 
is  no  detriment  ro  its  use.  The  resin  solution  is  best 
filtered  into  the  shellac  solution  by  pouring  through  a 
funnel  loosely  packed  with  wadding.  When  filtered, 
the  solutions  of  both  resins  are  mixed  by  agitating  the 
vessel  and  letting  the  varnish  stand  a  few  days.  The 
acaroid  resin  colors  the  shellac,  and  imparts  to  it  at 
the  same  time  the  degree  of  suppleness  usually 
obtained  by  the  addition  of  Venetian  turpentine  or 
linseed  oil.  If  the  varnish  is  to  be  employed  as  a  coat, 
the  upper  layers  are  poured  off  at  once  from  the 
vessel.  One  or  two  coats  suffice,  as  a  rule,  to  give  the 
object  an  exceedingly  pleasing  effect.  The  coats  dry 
very  quickly,  and  care  must  be  taken  not  to  apply  the 
second  coat  until  the  first  is  completely  dry. 

(6)  7.5  oz.  madder,  8.75  oz.  rasped  yellow  wood,  are 
boiled  for  1  hour  in  5.5  lb.  water,  and  the  boiling 
liquor  is  applied  to  the  articles  until  the  desired  color 
has  been  produced. 

(7)  1.05  oz.  powdered  turmeric,  1.05  oz.  powdered 
dragons’  blood,  are  digested  in  8.75  oz.  of  80  per  cent 
strong  alcohol,  and  when  the  latter  seems  to  be  thor¬ 
oughly  colored  it  is  filtered  through  a  cloth.  The  fil¬ 
trate  is  heated  and  applied  warm  to  the  article. 

(8)  17.5  oz.  madder,  8.75  oz.  ground  logwood,  are 
boiled  for  1  hour  in  5.5  lb.  water.  This  is  filtered 
while  still  warm,  and  the  warm  liquor  is  applied  to 
the  wood.  When  this  has  become  dry,  and  it  is 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


47 


desired  to  produce  a  darker  mahogany  color,  a  solu¬ 
tion  of  0.525  oz.  potash  carbonate  in  4.4  lb.  water  is 
applied  to  the  wood.  This  solution  is  prepared  cold, 
and  filtered  thrpugh  blotting-paper. 

(9)  0.35  oz.  aniline  is  dissolved  in  8.75  oz.  spirits 
of  wine  90  per  cent  strong.  Then  another  solution  of 
0.35  oz.  aniline  yellow  in  17.5  oz.  spirits  of  wine  90 
per  cent  strong  is  made,  and  this  is  added  to  the  aniline 
solution  until  the  required  reddish-yellow  color  is 
obtained.  By  adding  a  little  of  a  solution  of  aniline 
brown  (0.35  oz.  aniline  brown  in  10.5  oz.  spirits  of  wine 
90  per  cent  strong),  the  color  is  still  more  completely 
harmonized,  and  a  tint  very  closely  resembling 
mahogany  can  be  given  to  elm  and  cherry  wood  with 
this  mixture. 

(10)  0.7  oz.  logwood  is  boiled  in  3.5  oz.  water  down 

to  about  Yi.  This  is  then  filtered,  and  0.12  oz.  baryta 
chloride  is  dissolved  in  it.  , 

Oak.— (1)  Mix  powdered  ocher,  Venetian  red,  and 
umber,  in  size,  in  proportions  to  suit;  or  a  richer  stain 
may  be  made  with  raw  sienna,  burnt  sienna,  and 
Vandyke.  A  light  yellow  stain  of  raw  sienna  alone 
is  very  effective. 

(2)  Darkening  Oak. — Lay  on  liquid  ammonia  with  a 
rag  or  brush.  The  color  deepens  immediately,  and 
does  not  fade;  this  being  an  artificial  production  of 
the  process  which  is  induced  naturally  by  age.  Potash 
bichromate,  dissolved  in  cold  water  and  applied  in  a 
like  manner,  will  produce  a  very  similar  result. 

(3)  In  Germany,  the  cabinetmakers  use  very  strong 
coffee  for  darkening  oak.  To  make  it  very  dark: 
iron  filings  with  a  little  sulphuric  acid  and  water,  put 
on  with  a  sponge,  and  allowed  to  dry  between  each 
application  until  the  right  hue  is  reached. 


48 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


(4)  Whitewash  with  fresh  lime,  and  when  dry  brush 
off  the  lime  with  a  hard  brush,  and  dress  well  with 
linseed  oil.  It  should  be  done  after  the  wood  has 
been  worked,  and  it  will  make  not  only  the  wood,  but 
the  carving  or  moulding,  look  old  also. 

(5)  Use  a  strong  solution  of  common  washing-soda, 
say  one  or  two  coats,  until  the  proper  color  is  obtained. 
Or  you  may  try  potash  carbonate.  Paper  and  finish 
off  with  linseed  oil. 

(6)  A  decoction  of  green  walnut-shells  will  bring 
new  oak  to  any  shade,  or  nearly  black*. 

(7)  A  good  method  of  producing  the  peculiar  olive 
brown  of  old  oak  is  by  fumigation  with  liquid 
ammonia;  the  method  has  many  advantages  beyond 
the  expense  of  making  a  case  or  room  airtight  and 
the  price  of  the  ammonia.  It  does  not  raise  the  grain, 
the  work  keeping  as  smooth  as  at  first.  Any  tint,  or 
rather,  depth  of  the  color  can  be  given  with  certainty; 
and  the  darker  shade  of  color  will  be  found  to  have 
penetrated  to  the  depth  of  a  veneer,  and  much  farther 
where  the  end  grain  is  exposed,  thus  doing  away  with 
the  chance  of  an  accidental  knock  showing  the  white 
wood.  The  coloring  is  very  even  and  pure,  not 
destroying  the  transparency  of  the  wood.  It  is 
advisable  to  make  the  furniture  from  one  kind  of  stuff, 
not  to  mix  white  oak  with  red,  and  so  on.  They  both 
take  the  color  well,  but  there  is  a  kind  of  American 
live  oak  that  does  not  answer  well.  In  all  cases  care 
must  be  taken  to  have  no  glue  or  grease  on  the  work, 
which  would  cause  white  spots  to  be  left.  The  deal 
portions  of  the  work  are  not  affected  in  the  least, 
neither  does  it  affect  the  sap  of  oak.  The  best  kind 
of  polish,  for  furniture  treated  in  this  manner  is  wax 
polish,  or  the  kind  known  as  egg-shell  polish.  The 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


49 


process  of  fumigation  is  very  simple.  Get  a  large 
packing  case,  or  better  still,  make  a  room  in  a  corner 
of  the  polishing  shop  about  g  ft.  long,  6  ft.  high,  and 
3  ft.  6  in.  wide;*  pass  paper  over  the  joints;  let  the 
door  close  on  to  a  strip  of  india-rubber  tubing;  put  a 
pane  of  glass  in  the  side  of  box  or  house  to  enable  you 
to  examine  the  progress  of  coloring.  In  putting  in 
your  work  see  that  it  does  not  touch  anything  to 
hinder  the  free  course  of  the  fumes.  Put  2  or  3 
dishes  on  the  floor  to  hold  the  ammonia;  about  y  pint 
is  sufficient  for  a  case  this  size.  The  ammonia  differs 
in  purity,  some  leaving  more  residue  than  others. 
Small  articles  can  be  done  by  simply  covering  them 
with  a  cloth,  having  a  little  spirits  in  a  pot  underneath. 
A  good  useful  color  can  be  given  by  leaving  the 
things  exposed  to  the  fumes  overnight.  The  color 
lightens  on  being  polished,  owing  to  the  transparency 
thus  given  to  the  wood. 

Purple. — (1)  Take  1  lb.  logwood  chips,  y  gal. 
water,  4  oz.  pearlash,  2  oz.  powdered  indigo.  Boil 
the  logwood  in  the  water  till  the  full  strength  is 
obtained,  then  add  the  pearlash  and  indigo,  and  when 
the  ingredients  are  dissolved  the  mixture  is  ready  for 
use,  either  warm  or  cold.  This  gives  a  beautiful 
purple. 

(2)  To  stain  wood  a  rich  purple  or  chocolate  color, 
boil  y2  lb.  madder  and  y  lb.  fustic  in  1  gal.  water,  and 
when  boiling  brush  over  the  work  until  stained.  If 
the  surface  of  the  work  should  be  perfectly  smooth, 
brush  over  the  work  with  a  weak  solution  of  nitric  acid; 
then  finish  with  the  following:  put  4 y2  oz.  dragons' 
blood  and  1  oz.  soda,  both  well  bruised,  into  3  pints 
spirits  of  wine.  Let  it  stand  in  a  warm  place,  shake 
frequently,  strain  and  lay  on  with  a  soft  brush. 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


So 

repeating  until  a  proper  color  is  gained.  Polish  with 
linseed  oil  or  varnish. 

(3)  2.2  lb.  rasped  logwood,  5.5  lb.  rasped  Lima  red 
dyewood  are  boiled  for  1  hour  in  5.5  lb.  water.  It  is 
then  filtered  through  a  cloth  and  applied  to  the  article 
to  be  stained  until  the  desired  color  has  been  obtained. 
In  the  meanwhile  a  solution  of  0.175  oz.  potash 
carbonate  in  17.5  oz.  water  has  been  prepared,  and  a 
thin  coat  of  this  is  applied  to  the  article  stained  red. 
But  strict  attention  must  be  paid  not  to  apply  too  thick 
a  coat  of  this  solution,  or  else  a  dark  blue  color  would 
be  the  result. 

Red. — (1)  The  wood  is  plunged  first  in  a  solution  of 
I  oz.  of  curd  soap  in  35  fl.  oz.  water,  or  else  is  rubbed 
with  the  solution;  then  magenta  is  applied  in  a  state 
of  sufficient  dilution  to  bring  out  the  tone  required. 
All  the  aniline  colors  behave  very  well  on  wood. 

(2)  For  a  red  stain,  a  decoction  of  y  lb.  logwood 
and  y2  oz.  potash  in  1  lb.  water  is  used  as  the  bath, 
being  fixed  by  a  wash  of  alum  water.  For  scarlet,  use 
I  oz.  cochineal,  6  oz.  powdered  argol,  4  oz.  cream  tar¬ 
tar,  in  12  oz.  tin  chloride  (scarlet  spirits). 

(3)  Take  1  qt.  alcohol,  3  oz.  Brazil-wood,  y2  oz. 
dragons’  blood,  y2  oz.  cochineal,  I  oz.  saffron.  Steep 
to  full  strength  and  strain.  It  is  a  beautiful  crimson 
stain  for  violins,  work-boxes,  and  fancy  articles. 

(4)  Beside  the  aniline  colors,  which  are,  however, 
much  affected  by  sunlight,  cochineal  gives  a  very 
good  scarlet  red  upon  wood.  Boil  2  oz.  cochineal, 
previously  reduced  to  a  fine  powder,  in  35  oz.  of  water 
for  3  hours,  and  apply  it  to  the  wood.  When  dry,  give 
it  a  coating  of  dilute  tin  chloride  to  which  is  added  a 
little  tartaric  acid — I  oz.  tin  chloride  and  y2  oz. 
tartaric  acid  in  35  fl.  oz.  water.  If,  instead  of  water, 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


51 

the  cochineal  is  boiled  in  a  decoction  of  bark  (2  oz. 
bark  to  35  oz.  water),  and  the  tin  chloride  is  used  as 
above,  an  intense  scarlet  and  all  shades  of  orange  may 
be  produced  according  to  the  proportions. 

(5)  Take  1  gal.  alcohol,  i}i  lb.  camwood,  y2  lb.  red 
sanders,  1  lb.  logwood  extract,  2  oz.  aqua  fortis. 
When  dissolved,  it  is  ready  for  use.  It  should  be 
applied  in  3  coats  over  the  whole  surface.  When  dry, 
rub  down  to  a  smooth  surface,  using  for  the  purpose 
a  very  fine  paper.  The  graining  is  done  with  iron 
rust,  and  the  shading  with  asphaltum  thinned  with 
spirits  of  turpentine.  When  the  shading  is  dry,  apply 
a  thin  coat  of  shellac;  and  when  that  is  dry,  rub  down 
with  fine  paper.  The  work  is  then  ready  for  varnish¬ 
ing — a  fine  rose  tint. 

(6)  Monnier  recommends  steeping  the  wood  for 
several  hours  in  a  bath  of  1200  gr.  potassium  iodide  to 
the  quart  of  water,  and  then  immersing  it  in  a  bath  of 
375  gr-  corrosive  sublimate,  when  it  will  assume  a 
beautiful  rose-red  color  by  chemical  precipitation.  It 
should  subsequently  be  covered  with  a  glossy  varnish. 
The  baths  will  not  need  renewal  for  a  long  time. 

(7)  2.2  lb.  finely  powdered  Lima  red  dyewood  and 

2.1  oz.  potash  carbonate  are  put  in  a  glass  bottle  and 
digested  in  5.5  lb.  water  for  8  days  in  a  warm  place; 
the  bottle  should  be  frequently  shaken.  It  is  then 
filtered  through  a  cloth;  the  fluid  is  heated,  and 
applied  to  the  article  to  be  stained  until  the  latter 
acquires  a  beautiful  color.  If  it  is  desired  to  brighten 
the  color,  a  solution  of  2.1  oz.  alum,  free  from  iron,  in 

2.2  lb.  water  is  applied  to  the  article  while  it  is  still 
wet.  The  last  solution  can  be  prepared  by  heat;  when 
it  has  been  accomplished,  it  is  filtered.  As  soon  as 
the  stains  have  become  dry,  they  should  be  rubbed 


52 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


with  a  rag  moistened  with  linseed  oil,  after  which  the 
varnish  may  be  applied. 

Satinwood.—Take  I  qt.  alcohol,  3  oz.  ground 
turmeric,  1  y2  oz.  powdered  gamboge.  When  steeped 
to  its  full  strength,  strain  through  fine  muslin.  It  is 
then  ready  for  use.  Apply  with  a  piece  of  fine  sponge, 
giving  the  work  2  coats.  When  dry,  sandpaper  down 
very  fine.  It  is  then  ready  for  polish  or  varnish,  and 
is  a  good  imitation  of  satinwood. 

Violet. — The  wood  is  treated  in  a  bath  made  up  with 
oz.  olive  oil,  the  same  weight  of  soda-ash,  and 
2^4  pints  boiling  water,  and  it  is  then  dyed  with 
magenta  to  which  a  corresponding  quantity  of  tin 
crystals  has  been  added. 

Walnut. — Deal  and  other  common  woods  are  stained 
to  imitate  polished  walnut  in  various  ways.  (1)  One 
method  is,  aftercareful  rubbing  with  glass-paper,  to  go 
over  the  surface  with  a  preparation  of  Cassel  brown 
boiled  in  a  lye  of  soft-soap  and  soda.  After  drying, 
the  surface  is  rubbed  over  with  pumice  and  oil,  and 
polished  with  shellac.  The  Cassel  brown  will  not  take 
equally  well  on  all  kinds  of  wood,  so  that  if  not  laid 
on  thick  it  sometimes  comes  off  under  the  subsequent 
pumicing;  whilst  on  the  other  hand  this  same  thickness 
conceals,  more  or  less,  the  grain  on  the  wood  beneath, 
giving  it  the  appearance  of  having  been  painted. 

(2)  Others  use  instead  a  decoction  of  green  walnut- 
shells,  dried  and  boiled  in  the  same  lye,  or  in  soft 
water  to  which  soda  has  been  added.  The  decoction 
of  walnut-shells  is  apt  to  come  off  on  the  clothes  as  a 
yellowish,  adhesive  substance. 

(3)  Others,  again,  employ  catechu  and  potash 
chromate  in  equal  parts,  boiled  separately  and  after¬ 
wards  mixed.  The  mixture  of  catechu  and  potash 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER  53 

chromate  leaves  a  reddish-brown  deposit  on  the  surface 
of  the  wood,  very  unlike  real  walnut. 

(4)  The  following  is  said  to  be  a  very  superior 
method  for  staining  any  kind  of  wood  in  imitation  of 
walnut,  while  it  is  also  cheap  and  simple  in  its  manip¬ 
ulation.  The  wood,  previously  thoroughly  dried 
and  warmed,  is  coated  once  or  twice  with  a  stain  com¬ 
posed  of  1  oz.  extract  of  walnut  peel  dissolved  in  6  oz. 
soft  water  by  heating  it  to  boiling,  and  stirring.  The 
wood  thus  treated,  when  half  dry,  is  brushed  with  a 
solution  of  1  oz.  potash  bichromate  in  5  oz.  boiling 
water,  and  is  then  allowed  to  dry  thoroughly,  and  is 
to  be  rubbed  and  polished  as  usual.  Red  beech  and 
alder,  under  this  treatment,  assume  a  most  deceptive 
resemblance  to  American  walnut.  The  color  is  fixed 
in  the  wood  to  a  depth  of  one  or  two  lines. 

(5)  Mix  dragons’  blood  and  lampblack  in  methylated 
spirits  till  you  get  the  color  required,  and  rub  it  well 
into  the  grain  of  the  wood. 

(6)  Light  Walnut. — Dissolve  1  part  potassium 
permanganate  in  30  of  pure  water,  and  apply  twice  in 
succession;  after  an  interval  of  5  minutes,  wash  with 
clean  water,  and  when  dry,  oil  and  polish. 

(7)  Dark  Walnut. — Same  as  for  light  walnut,  but 
after  the  washing  with  water  the  dark  veins  are  made 
more  prominent  with  a  solution  of  iron  acetate. 

(8)  In  the  winter  season  get  some  privet  berries 
(black),  which  grow  in  most  gardens,  and  put  2  oz.  in 
Yz  pint  solution  of  liquid  ammonia.  This,  applied  to 
pine,  varnished  or  polished,  cannot  be  detected  from 
real  walnut  itself. 

(9)  Take  1  gal.  very  thin  sized  shellac;  add  1  lb.  dry 
burnt  umber,  I  lb.  dry  burnt  sienna,  and  Y  lb. 
lampblack.  Put  these  articles  into  a  jug  and  shake 


54 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


frequently  until  they  are  mixed.  Apply  one  coat  with 
a  brush.  When  the  work  is  dry,  rub  down  with  fine 
paper,  and  apply  one  coat  of  shellac  or  cheap  varnish. 
It  will  then  be  a  good  imitation  of  solid  walnut,  and 
will  be  adapted  for  the  back  boards  of  mirror-frames, 
for  the  back  and  inside  of  casework,  and  for  similar 
work. 

(io)  Take  I  gal.  strong  vinegar,  I  lb.  dry  burnt 
umber,  y2  lb.  fine  rose  pink,  y2  lb.  dry  burnt  Vandyke 
brown.  Put  into  a  jug  and  mix  well;  let  the  mixture 
stand  one  day,  and  it  will  then  be  ready  for  use. 
Apply  this  stain  to  the  sap  with  a  piece  of  fine  sponge; 
it  will  dry  in  y2  hour.  The  whole  piece  is  then  ready 
for  the  filling  process.  W'hen  the  work  is  completed, 
the  stained  part  cannot  be  detected  even  by  those  who 
have  performed  the  job.  By  means  of  this  recipe, 
wood  of  poor  quality  and  mostly  of  sap  can  be  used 
with  good  effect. 

(u)  Darkening  Walnut. — Slaked  lime,  i  to  4  of 
water,  will  do  for  some  kinds  of  walnut;  a  weak  solution 
of  iron  sulphate  for  others;  and  yet  again  for  other  kinds 
a  weak  solution  of  pearlash.  Try  each  on  the  wood, 
and  choose  the  one  you  like  best. 

(12)  To  give  to  walnut  a  dark  color  resembling 
rosewood,  Hirschberg  uses  a  solution  of  0. 17  oz.  potash 
bichromate  in  1.05  oz.  water.  This  solution  is  applied 
to  the  walnut  with  a  sponge,  and  the  wood  is  then 
pumiced  and  polished. 

(13)  By  a  simple  staining,  furniture  of  pine  or  birch 
wood  can  be  easily  made  to  appear  as  if  it  had  been 
veneered  with  walnut  veneer.  For  this  a  solution  of 
3.15  oz.  potash  manganate,  and  3.15  oz.  manganese 
sulphate  in  5.25  qt.  hot  water,  is  made.  This  solution 
is  applied  to  the  wood  with  a  brush,  and  must  be 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


55 


repeated  several  times.  The  potash  manganate  is 
decomposed  when  it  comes  in  contact  with  the  woody 
fiber,  and  thus  a  beautiful  and  very  durable  walnut 
color  is  obtained.  If  small  wooden  articles  are  to  be 
stained  in  this  manner,  a  very  diluted  bath  is  prepared; 
the  articles  are  dipped  into  it,  and  kept  there  I  to  g 
minutes,  according  as  the  color  is  desired  lighter  or 
darker. 

Yellow.  —  (i)  Mordant  with  red  liquor,  and  dye  with 
bark  liquor  and  turmeric. 

(2)  Turmeric  dissolved  in  wood  naphtha. 

(3)  Aqua  regia  (nitro-muriatic  acid),  diluted  in  3 
parts  water,  is  a  much-used  though  rather  destructive 
yellow  stain. 

(4)  N:tric  acid  gives  a  fine  permanent  yellow,  which 
is  converted  into  dark  brown  by  subsequent  application 
of  tincture  of  iodine. 

(5)  Wash  over  with  a  hot  concentrated  solution  of 
picric  acid,  and  when  dry,  polish  the  wood. 

(6)  Orange-Yellow  Tone  to  Oak  Wood. — Accord¬ 
ing  to  Niedling,  a  beautiful  orange-yellow  tone,  much 
admired  in  a  chest  at  the  Vienna  Exhibition,  may  be 
imparted  to  oak  wood  by  rubbing  it  in  a  warm  room 
with  a  certain  mixture  until  it  acquires  a  dull  polish, 
and  then  coating  it  after  an  hour  with  thin  polish,  and 
repeating  the  coating  of  polish  to  improve  the  depth 
and  brilliancy  of  the  tone.  The  ingredient^  for  the 
rubbing  mixture  are  about  3  oz.  tallow,  ^  oz-  wax,  and 
1  pint  oil  of  turpentine,  mixed  by  heating  together  and 
stirring. 

(7)  0.5  oz.  nitric  acid  (aqua  fortis)  is  compounded 
with  1.57  oz.  rain-water,  and  the  article  to  be  stained  is 
brushed  over  with  this.  Undiluted  nitric  acid  gives  a 
brownish-yellow  color, 


$6 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


(8)  2.1  oz.  finely  powdered  turmeric  are  digested  for 
several  days  in  17.5  oz.  alcohol  80  per  cent  strong,  and 
then  strained  through  a  cloth.  This  solution  is  applied 
to  the  articles  to  be  stained.  When  they  have  become 
entirely  dry,  they  are  burnished  and  varnished. 

(9)  1.57  oz.  potash  carbonate  are  dissolved  in  4.2  oz. 
rain-water.  This  solution  is  poured  over  0.52  oz. 
annotto,  and  this  mixture  is  allowed  to  stand  for  3  days 
in  a  warm  place,  being  frequently  shaken  in  the 
meanwhile.  It  is  then  filtered,  and  0. 175  oz.  spirit  of 
sal-ammoniac  is  added  to  it.  The  stain  is  now  ready, 
and  the  articles  to  be  stained  will  acquire  a  very 
beautiful  bright  yellow  color  by  placing  them  in  it. 

(10)  Bright  Golden  Yellow.  —  o.  52  oz.  finely 
powdered  madder  is  digested  for  12  hours  with  2.1  oz. 
diluted  sulphuric  acid,  and  then  filtered  through  a 
cloth.  The  articles  to  be  stained  are  allowed  to 
remain  in  this  fluid  3  to  4  days,  when  they  will  be 
stained  through. 

Most  of  the  foregoing  is  taken  from  English,  French, 
and  German  sources,  but  the  following  are  methods 
usually  adopted  in  American  practice;  but  it  is  just  as 
well  that  the  finisher  should  be  conversant,  to  some 
extent,  with  the  practice  of  other  nationalities  as  well 
as  that,  of  his  own. 

Stains  may  be  classified  as  follows:  Those  made  with 
oil  and  color,  those  made  with  spirits  and  color,  those 
made  with  water  and  coloring  matter  other  than 
anilines,  and  those  made  with  water  and  anilines. 
Generally,  spirit  stains  are  made  with  anilines. 

Water  stains  are  those  in  which  the  coloring  matter 
is  mixed  with  water.  A  good  mahogany  water  stain 
is  made  as  follows:  Fustic  chips,  4  oz. ;  madder  root, 
y2  lb.;  water  about  4  qt.  This  should  boil  for  several 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


57 

hours  and  should  be  applied  boiling  hot,  after  being 
well  strained. 

For  walnut:  Vandyke  brown,  i  lb.;  strong  lye,  y2 
pt. ;  water,  3  qt.  This  should  boil  down  to  about  three 
pints,  and  should  be  applied  to  the  wood  when  cold 
with  a  sponge  or  pad. 

A  good  cherry  stain  can  be  made  by  mixing  a  pound 
of  Spanish  annotto,  an  ounce  of  strong  lye,  and  water. 
Boil  forty  minutes.  If  not  deep  enough  in  color,  boil 
more,  and  add  a  little  gamboge  to  darken  it. 

There  is  very  little  difference  between  cherry  and 
mahogany  stains;  the  latter  are  somewhat  darker,  but 
may  be  reduced  to  answer. 

Aniline  stains  are  easily  made,  and  are  usually  very 
even  and  free  from  cloudy  spots  when  properly  laid 
on.  All  or  any  of  anilines  will  dissolve  in  water,  oil, 
or  alcohol,  but  will  dissolve  much  quicker  in  warm 
liquid  than  in  cold.  Time  will  therefore  be  saved  by 
having  the  medium  hot. 

One  example  of  making  a  water  stain  from  anilines 
will  answer  for  the  whole  group.  If  for  mahogany, 
use  Bismarck  brown,  1  oz. ;  add  3  qt.  water  boiling  hot; 
stir  until  the  br-own  is  all  dissolved.  When  cool  it  is 
ready  to  apply. 

Many  excellent  stains  for  pine  may  be  obtained  by 
using  the  ordinary  graining  colors,  Vandyke  brown, 
raw  and  burnt  sienna,  ultramarine  blue,  etc.,  applied 
with  a  brush,  without  previous  preparation,  and  then 
wiped  off  with  a  cloth — a  method  that  brings  out 
clearly  the  grain  or  marks  of  the  wood,  which  in  pitch 
pine,  now  being  extensively  used  for  fittings,  are  often 
extremely  beautiful.  A  better  method  for  general 
work,  F'rench  polish  being  ordinarily  too  expensive, 
is,  where  dark  oak  or  mahogany  stains  are  not  wanted, 


58 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


light  varnishes,  of  which  two  coats  are  to  be  applied. 
The  glue  size  with  which  the  work  is  first  coated,  in 
order  to  fill  up  the  pores  of  the  wood,  should  not  be 
too  thick,  as  in  that  case  it  is  liable  to  crack. 

Logwood,  lime,  brown  soft  soap,  dyed  oil,  sulphate 
of  iron,  nitrate  of  silver  exposed  to  the  sun’s  rays, 
carbonate  of  soda,  bichromate  and  permanganate  of 
potash,  and  other  alkaline  preparations,  are  used  for 
darkening  the  wood;  the  last  three  are  specially 
recommended.  The  solution  is  applied  by  dissolving 
one  ounce  of  the  alkali  in  two  gills  of  boiling  water, 
diluted  to  the  required  tone.  The  surface  is  saturated 
with  a  sponge  or  flannel,  and  immediately  dried  with 
soft  rags.  The  carbonate  is  used  for  dark  woods.  Oil 
tinged  with  rose  madder  may  be  applied  to  hardwoods 
like  birch,  and  a  red  oil  is  prepared  from  soaked 
alkanet  root  in  linseed  oil.  The  grain  of  yellow  pine 
can  be  brought  out  by  two  or  three  coats  of  japan, 
much  diluted  with  turpentine,  and  afterwards  oiled 
and  rubbed.  To  give  mahogany  the  appearance  of 
age,  lime  water  used  before  oiling  is  a  good  plan. 
In  staining  wood,  the  best  and  most  transparent  effect 
is  obtained  by  repeated  light  coats  of  the  same.  For 
oak  stain  a  strong  solution  of  oxaiic  acid  is  employed; 
for  mahogany,  dilute  nitric  acid.  A  primary  coat  or  a 
coat  of  wood  fillers  is  advantageous.  For  mahogany 
stains,  the  following  are  given:  two  ounces  of  dragons’ 
blood  dissolved  in  one  quart  of  rectified  spirits  of 
wine,  well  shaken,  or  raw  sienna  in  beer,  with  burnt 
sienna  to  give  the  required  tone;  for  darker  stains  boil 
half-pound  of  madder  and  two  ounces  of  logwood 
chips  in  one  gallon  of  water,  and  brush  the  decoction 
while  hot  over  the  wood;  when  dry,  paint  with  a 
Solution  of  two  ounces  of  potash  in  one  c^uart  of  water. 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


59 


A  solution  of  permanganate  of  potash  forms  a  rapid 
and  excellent  brown  stain. 

Oak  or  ash  may  be  stained  brown  by  using  linseed 
oil  and  benzine  half  and  half,  and  burnt  umber  or 
Vaindyke  brown  incorporated  with  this.  Maple  can  be 
stained  green-gray  by  using  copperas  in  water;  oak 
will  also  be  changed  to  a  dark  green  blue  through  the 
same  agency,  the  effect  on  ash  being  various  shades  of 
olive  green.  Ammonia  applied  to  oak  produces  the 
bronze  olive  tint  now  used  so  much  by  architects. 

Wash  any  compact  wood  with  a  boiling  decoction  of 
logwood  three  or  four  times,  allowing  it  to  dry  between 
each  application.  Then  wash  it  with  a  solution  of 
acetate  of  iron,  which  is  made  by  dissolving  iron  filings 
in  vinegar.  This  stain  is  very  black,  and  penetrates  to 
a  considerable  depth  into  the  wood,  so  that  ordinary 
scratching  or  chipping  does  not  show  the  original  color. 

A  wash  of  one  part  of  nitric  acid  in  ten  parts  of  water 
will,  if  well  done,  impart  a  stain  resembling  mahogany 
to  pine  wood  which  does  not  contain  much  resin.  When 
the  wood  is  thoroughly  dry,  shellac  varnish  will  impart 
a  fine  finish  to  the  surface.  A  glaze  of  carmine  or  lake 
will  produce  a  rosewood  finish.  A  turpentine  extract  of 
alkanet  root  produces  a  beautiful  stam  which  admits  of 
French  polishing.  Asphaltum,  thinned  with  turpentine, 
makes  an  excellent  mahogany  color  on  new  wood. 

When  describing  the  treatment  of  different  kinds  of 
wood,  which  will  follow,  I  will  have  more  to  say 
regarding  the  method  of  staining. 

VARNISHING  AND  POLISHING 

French  polishing  was  at  one  time  the  omy  method 
of  polishing  permitted  to  be  employed  on  work  of  the 
first  class,  because  of  its  permanency  and  uniform 


6o 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


appearance,  and  the  man  who  understood  the  process, 
and  could  mix  the  materials  used,  could  always  demand 
good  pay  and  steady  employment.  Now,  however, 
there  are  a  number  of  methods  and  varnishes  that  are 
almost  as  good  as  the  method  and  materials  used  in 
French  polishing,  and  which  can  be  applied  at  one- 
eighth  the  cost,  and  which  when  done  look  just  about  as 
well,  though  perhaps  they  will  not  be  permanent.  So, 
while  French  polishing  still  survives  to  some  extent, 
and  is  likely  to  be  practiced  for  many  years  to  come,  a 
description  of  the  method  and  materials  is  quite 
necessary  in  a  book  of  this  kind;  therefore  no  excuse 
is  necessary  to  account  for  its  appearance  in  these 
pages. 

Varnishing,  on  which  depends  to  a  certain  extent  the 
beauty  of  the  work,  to  be  of  a  durable  character  should 
be  done  in  a  temperature  of  65°  F.  or  more,  from  the 
beginning  of  the  work  to  the  finishing  of  the  same,  day 
and  night  included.  A  higher  temperature,  if  not  over 
1250  F.,  will  not  harm  fine  varnishes;  in  fact,  will  turn 
out  nicer  work  than  in  a  lower  temperature,  and  will 
enable  a  manufacturer  to  turn  out  work  in  amuch  shorter 
time.  In  a  temperature  of  but  65°  to  7 50  F.  from  four 
to  six  days  between  coatings  is  advisable,  as  this  will 
give  good  and  unfailing  results.  In  1 2 5 0  F.  the  same 
good  results  can  be  obtained  in  one-half  the  time.  Var¬ 
nishing  departments,  outside  the  filling  and  rubbing 
rooms,  should  be  kept  absolutely  clean.  The  filling 
and  rubbing  rooms  should  be  kept  as  clean  as  pos¬ 
sible. 

After  cabinet-work  has  received  one-half  the  varnish 
coatings  and  the  varnish  is  perfectly  dry,  rub  the  surface 
with  pumice-stone  and  water — use  a  piece  of  felt — to 
a  smooth,  even  surface.  Allow  the  work  to  stand  24 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


61 


hours,  and  then  begin  the  application  of  the  last  halt 
of  varnish  coatings,  giving  the  same  time  between 
coatings.  After  all  the  coatings  are  perfectly  dry,  go 
through  the  same  rubbing  process.  A  perfect,  smooth 
surface  for  polishing  will  be  the  result.  Let  the  work 
stand  for  24  hours  after  this  rubbing,  then  start  polish¬ 
ing  by  moistening  a  fine  piece  of  cloth  with  water, 
dipped  in  powdered  rotten  stone,  thus  moistening  the 
same  also,  and  begin  to  rub  the  surface  of  the  work 
with  a  steady  hand  and  evenly,  in  order  to  remove 
with  this  fine  rotten  . stone  the  fine  scratches,  if  any, 
which  are  generally  caused  by  the  rubbing  of  the 
pumice-stone.  This  accomplished,  continue  the  rub¬ 
bing  with  the  palm  of  the  hand  instead  of  the  cloth, 
using  moist  rotten  stone,  and  rub  the  work  until  the 
fine  polish  required  is  obtained.  The  rotten  stone  then 
generally  falls  off  the  hand  and  you  work  in  a  dry  dust. 
Wash  the  surface  clean  with  water,  using  a  fine  sponge 
and  chamois.  Allow  the  polished  work  to  stand  24 
hours,  then  oil  the  same  off  with  a  light  oil  and  a  very 
soft  rag  or  cotton  bat.  Take  another  fine  rag  or  cotton 
bat  and  remove  all  the  oil  by  rubbing  or  wiping  the 
same  gently,  but  absolutely  clean,  off  the  polished 
surface.  To  be  sure  this  is  accomplished,  moisten  the 
cloth  or  cotton  bat  with  alcohol.  The  polish,  if  every¬ 
thing  is  done  correctly,  will  then  be  finished. 

Care  should  be  taken  that  too  much  varnish  is  not 
put  on  the  work.  For  good  finishing  only  a  minimum 
of  material  should  be  used  if  the  grain  of  the  wood  is 
wished  to  be  seen,  for  the  less  varnish  used,  providing 
a  good  polish  is  obtained,  will  bring  out  the  details  of 
the  wood  better  than  a  dozen  coats  would.  If  one  coat 
of  varnish  is  not  enough,  two  will  be,  and  it  is  not  good 
practice  to  employ  more,  nor  is  it  good  workmanship. 


62 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


A  room  that  is  dark  or  damp  will  spoil  the  varnish, 
and  a  room  that  is  excessively  warm  will  keep  the 
varnish  soft.  Barrels  of  varnish  should  not  be  stored 
in  a  very  warm  room,  as  the  heat  will  open  the  joints 
in  the  barrels,  and  the  varnish,  which  will  be  quite  thin 
owing  to  the  heat,  will  leak  out.  In  summer,  varnish 
should  be  stored  in  a  basement  where  it  is  cool. 

Turning  white  is  caused  by  the  action  of  water  or 
dampness.  The  better  the  grade  of  varnish  and  the 
more  elastic  it  is,  the  less  liable  it  is  to  be  affected  by 
moisture.  In  applying  two  coats  of  varnish,  neither 
should  be  heavy,  more  especially  the  first  coat.  If  it 
is,  it  will  not  generally  get  thoroughly  dry  at  the 
bottom  before  the  second  one  is  applied,  and  the  result 
will  be  disastrous,  as  it  will  cause  the  last  coat  to 
crack,  wrinkle,  or  sag,  as  it  is  called.  Another  bad 
result  of  not  giving  varnish  time  to  dry  will  be  noticed 
by  the  last  coat  deadening  or  sinking  away.  This  is 
caused  by  the  undercoat  not  having  been  allowed 
sufficient  time  to  dry,  resulting  in  the  finishing  coat 
becoming  absorbed  while  in  the  course  of  hardening. 

The  varnisher  must  be  careful  that  there  is  no  oil  on 
the  surface  to  be  varnished,  as  it  will  cause  pitting,  or 
little  hollows  in  the  varnish.  When  varnish  is  so  thick 
it  does  not  spread  well,  it  may  be  thinned  by  adding  a 
little  turpentine,  but  care  must  be  taken  that  it  is 
thoroughly  incorporated  in  the  varnish,  as,  if  it  is  not, 
this  will  also  cause  pitting.  A  long-haired,  pliant 
brush  is  best  with  which  to  apply  varnish.  It  should 
be  spread  with  long,  steady  strokes,  drawn  in  a  per¬ 
fectly  straight  line  lengthwise  the  grain  of  the  wood. 
Oil  japan  or  liquid  dryer  should  never  be  added  to 
good  varnish.  Each  coat  of  varnish  should  be  given 
three  or  four  days  to  harden  before  another  coat  is 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


63 


fc  1 


added  or  before  the  last  coat  is  rubbed,  if  a  rubbed 
surface  is  required. 

One  thing  should  always  be  considered  before 
varnishing  begins,  and  that  is,  that  a  good  coat  of 
colorless  shellac  should  be  laid  on  the 
work  just  as  soon  as  the  filler  is  dry 
and  properly  rubbed  down.  This  will 
hermetically  seal  up  all  the  pores  and 
prevent  the  varnish  from  sinking  or 
showing  hollow  spots  on  the  work. 

I  show  the  style  of  brush  which  is 
generally  used  for  applying  shellac,  in 
Fig.  107;  it  is  taken  from  a  dealer’s 
catalogue,  and  is  oval  in  section  and 
metal-bound. 

An  excellent  shellac  varnish  is  made 
by  dissolving  3 y2  lb.  of  orange  shellac 
in  1  gal.  of  grain  or  wood  alcohol.  Let 
stand  in  a  warm  place  until  the  shellac 
is  thoroughly  dissolved.  If  shaken 
once  in  a  while,  the  shellac  will  dis¬ 
solve  quicker. 

For  making  white  shellac  varnish, 
take  3^  lb.  of  white  shellac  and  mix 
with  alcohol,  grain  or  wood,  the  same 
as  before.  These  proportions  are  offered 
only  as  a  sort  of  guide,  but  they  may 
be  varied  a  little  as  experience  will 
show. 

All  varnish  should  be  laid  on  with 
the  grain  if  possible,  or  there  will  likely  be  sagging 
along  the  brush  marks. 

Where  varnish  is  flowed  the  operator  should  not  be 
“stingy”  with  his  material  or  his  work  will  not  be 


Fig.  107 


04 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


good.  There  is  a  tendency  always  with  the  beginnei 
to  “lay  off”  his  varnish  too  thin,  or  to  “skin”  it.  as' it 
is  termed.  It  is  always  better  to  err  on  the  side  of 
using  too  much,  than  too  little  varnish,  if  good  work  is 
desired.  Too  much  varnish,  however,  should  be 
avoided,  as  the  work  will  be  apt  to  crack  and  become 
disfigured  in  time.  The  brushes  shown 
in  Figs.  108  and  109  are  among  the  best 
for  flowing  purposes. 

Generally,  unless  on  the  very  hard¬ 
est  of  woods,  two  coats  of  varnish  are 
necessary  before  the  process  of  rubbing 
can  be  commenced,  as  a  good  surface 
cannot  be  obtained  unless  there  is  a 
good  ground  to  work  on. 

A  few  hints  as  to  “rubbing”  may  not 
be  out  of  place.  First,  see  that  the 
varnish  is  dry  and  hard.  If  an  impres¬ 
sion  can  be  made  on  it  with  a  finger 
nail,  it  is  too  soft  to  rub;  let  it  stand 
awhile. 

Never  rub  across  the  grain  if  it  can 
be  avoided. 

Always  rub  with  the  grain,  lightening 
the  stroke  at  the  ends. 

Rub  lightly  at  first  and  avoid  making 
bare  spots. 

Use  fine  pumice-stone  at  first,  and 
all  the  time,  until  you  get  accustomed  to  the  work. 

Use  a  pad  of  felt  about  3^x4^  inches  for  a  rubber. 

Rub  with  either  water  or  with  rubbing  oil — the  latter 
preferred — or  use  linseed  oil. 

Sprinkle  the  pumice-stone  powder  on  the  work, 
dip  the  rubber  in  the  oil,  then  rub  lightly. 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


65 


Clean  off  the  work  with  damp,  clean  sawdust  and  a 
brush,  or  with  soft  cotton  wadding. 

For.  mouldings,  make  reverse 
shapes,  cover  with  felt,  and  pro¬ 
ceed  as  with  the  flat  surfaces. 

After  rubbing,  the  work  is  ready 
for  polishing.  This  is  done  by 
making  a  mixture  of  half  sweet 
oil  and  half  alcohol.  Then  make 
a  large  wad  of  nice  clean  cotton 
and  rub  the  work  with  a  circular 
motion  until  the  proper  polish  is 
attained.  This  requires  some 
practice,  but  is  easily  acquired. 

Another  and  a  better  method 
is  to  put  on  an  extra  coat  of  flow¬ 
ing  varnish,  then  rub  down  with 
fine  pumice-stone  and  clean  care¬ 
fully.  After  this,  rub  down  with  a 
lump  of  faced-up  pumice,  or  with 
chamois  leather  and  powdered  rot¬ 
ten  stone.  Let  the  rotten  stone 
become  dry  on  the  surface,  then 
wipe  off  with  the  palm  of  the 
hand,  which  rubs  up  the  work, 
with  a  rotary  motion.  A  piece  of 
fine  linen  or  silk  should  be  handy, 
on  which  the  hand  should  be 
cleaned  from  time  to  time. 

If  a  dead  finish  is  required,  do 
not  polish  after  rubbing  over  with  powdered  pumice- 
stone  and  oil. 

Of  course,  the  operator  must  always  bear  in  mind, 
during  the  several  operations,  that  care  and  cleanliness 


Fig.  109 


66 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


are  two  necessary  factors,  and  without  them,  there 
can  be  no  such  thing  as  satisfactory  results.  A 
slovenly  workman  should  never  attempt  to  polish,  for 
no  good  can  come  from  it.  In  all  my  experience, 
which  covers  many  years,  I  have  never  known  of  a 
careless  or  slovenly  man  making  good  work  in  this 
particular  department. 

French  Polishing. — Much  has  been  said  and  written 
on  this  subject,  and  many  comparisons  have  been  made 
between  this  and  other  methods  of  polishing,  but  the 
writer,  from  his  architectural  experience  and  general 
observation,  does  not  hesitate  for  a  moment  in  saying 
that  “French  polished”  work  is  much  superior  to  any 
or  all  other  polished  work,  so  far  as  durability  and 
effect  is  concerned.  True,  other  methods  are — many 
of  them — much  more  economical  and  easier  acquired, 
but  they  do  not  have  the  staying  powers  that  the  good 
old-fashioned  French  polishing  has. 

Although,  as  before  stated,  much  has  been  written 
on  the  subject,  there  is  a  certain  sameness  in  the 
descriptions,  and  I  confess  I  do  not  see  how  it  could 
be  otherwise,  as  the  subject  is  one  that  can  have  onlv 
one  side  to  it;  hence  the  sameness  of  description. 

I  will  not  attempt  to  write  a  description,  as  it  would 
be  no  improvement  on  former  ones;  so  I  offer  the 
following,  which  is  taken  from  an  English  source, 
that  has  been  Americanized  to  some  extent. 

In  French  polishing,  the  wood  has  to  be  prepared 
and  various  minor  details  attended  to  before  this  can 
be  done.  For  example,  the  pores  of  open-grained 
wood  must  be  stopped  or,  as  the  process  is  generally 
called,  filled,  to  get  a  smooth  surface  and  to  prevent 
excessive  absorption  of  the  liquid  polish.  Then  the 
appearance  of  some  woods  is  improved  and  enriched 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


67 


by  oiling  them  before  applying  the  polish.  This 
oiling,  to  a  certain  extent,  darkens  and  mellows  them, 
and  brings  up  the  figure. 

The  temperature  and  atmosphere  of  the  place  in 
which  French  polishing  is  done  are  of  considerable 
importance.  Work  cannot  be  done  properly  in  a  cold 
or  damp  room,  as  then  the  polish  will  get  chilled,  and, 
as  it  sets  on  the  wood,  becomes  opaque  and  cloudy. 
To  avoid  this  the  polisher  should  work  in  a  warm 
room.  The  temperature  for  a  living  room,  about  70°, 
is  about  that  suited  for  polishing.  In  warm  summer 
weather  a  fire  is  not  necessary,  but  in  winter  it  is.  If 
the  polisher  notices  that  his  polish  chills,  he  must 
increase  the  heat  of  his  room.  If  a  moderate  amount 
of  warmth  be  brought  near  the  surface  as  soon  as  any 
chill  is  observed,  it  will  probably  disappear.  A  small 
article  may  be  taken  to  the  fire,  but  with  large  work 
this  course  would  hardly  be  convenient.  In  such 
cases  a  good  plan  is  to  hold  something  warm  a  short 
distance  from  the  chilled  surface,  but  on  no  account 
must  it  touch,  nor  must  the  heat  be  great  enough  to 
scorch  the  polish.  A  common  plan,  but  not  altogether 
a  good  one,  is  to  hold  a  piece  of  burning  paper  near 
the  chill.  An  ordinary  flatiron  is  very  useful  for 
small  chilled  patches.  When  the  article  is  cold  or 
damp,  chill  is  more  likely  to  occur.  It  is,  there¬ 
fore,  always  necessary  to  make  sure  after  a  stain 
has  been  used  that  the  wood  has  become  thoroughly 
dry. 

Not  less  important  is  the  employment  of  suitable 
materials,  both  in  the  polish  and  in  the  tools  of  the 
polisher’s  art.  These  latter  consist  almost  entirely  of 
wadding  or  cotton  wool  and  soft  linen  or  cotton  rags, 
from  which  the  rubbers  to  apply  the  polish  are  made; 


68 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


and  a  few  bottles  are  wanted  to  hold  the  various 
polishes,  stains,  and  their  components. 

The  pad  with  which  French  polish  is  applied  is 
called  the  rubber.  Without  it  the  French  polisher 
can  do  little  in  actual  polishing,  although  he  may  not 
require  it  in  the  preliminary  operations  of  oiling  and 
staining.  However  simple  in  itself  the  rubber  may 
be,  it  should  be  properly  and  carefully  made  of  suitable 
materials;  otherwise  good  work  cannot  be  done  with 
it.  Those  who  have  seen  polishers  at  work  may  be 
inclined  to  infer  that  no  great  care  is  necessary,  for  a 
dirty  rag  covering  an  equally  uninviting  lump  of 

wadding  is  usually 
seen.  Examination 
will  show  the  rubber 
to  be  more  carefully 
made  than  might 
have  been  expected, 
and  the  expert  pol¬ 
isher  would  probably 
prefer  it  to  a  nice 
Fig.  110  clean-looking  rubber 

such  as  a  novice 
would  choose.  Nevertheless,  a  dirty  rubber  is  not 
wanted,  for  dirt  is  fatal  to  first-class  work;  hence 
the  polisher  should  keep  his  rubbers  scrupulously 
clean.  They  will  naturally  get  stained  and  discolored 
with  the  polish,  but  that  is  a  very  different  matter 
from  being  dirty.  Old  rubbers  are  preferable  to  new 
ones,  provided  they  have  been  properly  taken  care  of 
and  not  allowed  to  get  hard. 

For  flat  surfaces  or  fretwork  a  wad  may  be  prepared 
by  using  a  strip  of  torn  woolen  cloth  from  I  in.  to  2 
in.  wide.  Cloth  with  a  cut  edge  is  not  recommended 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


69 


for  this  purpose,  as  it  is  too  harsh.  Roll  the  strip 
very  tightly  into  a  wad  about  I  in.,  2  in.,  or  3  in. 
diameter,  according  to  the  size  of  the  work,  and  tie 
tightly  round  with  fine  twine  (Fig.  no).  This  will 
give  as  nearly  as  possible  a  rubber  resembling  Fig.  hi. 
This  wad  is  put  into  a  double  thickness 
of  linen  cloth,  and  the  ends  axe  gath¬ 
ered  up  like  the  ends  of  a  pudding- 
cloth;  they  are  not  tied,  but  are  grasped 
as  a  hand-piece  while  being  used.  This 
form  of  rubber  would,  however,  be  use¬ 
less  for  bodying  up  mouldings,  beads,  quirks,  moulded 
handrails,  newel  posts,  etc.,  and  when  polishing  large 
mahogany  doors  or  other  framed  furniture  it  would  be 
impossible  to  get  well  into  the  corners  of  sunk  panels, 
as  in  Fig.  1 12. 

A  well-shaped,  soft,  pliable  rubber,  with  its  rag 

covering  free  from 
creases,  is  to  a  practical 
French  polisher  equiva¬ 
lent  to  a  sharp,  finely 
set  smoothing  plane  in 
the  hands  of  a  cabinet¬ 
maker.  With  such  a 
rubber,  made  of  wad¬ 
ding,  one  is  enabled  to 
get  into  corners,  round 
turned  work,  and  up  to 
the  edges  of  mouldings  in  a  manner  impossible  with  a 
hard,  round  rubber.  To  make  it,  take  a  sheet  of  wad¬ 
ding — this  is  9  in.  wide — and  tear  off  a  piece  6  in.  long; 
this  will  form  a  conveniently-sized  rubber,  suitable  for 
most  work;  but  for  small  work  use  one  of  smaller  size. 
Double  the  wadding,  making  it  6  in.  by  4%  in. 


;o 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


Squeeze  this  in  the  hand,  keeping  the  skin  unbroken, 
till  in  shape  it  nearly  resembles  half  a  bear.  The 
rubber  should  then  be  charged  with  polish,  and 
covered  with  a  piece  of  soft,  clean  rag.  In  folding 
the  rag,  twist  it  on  the  upper  side  of  the  rubber. 
Each  additional  twist  will  bring  it  to  a  sharper  point 
and  cause  the  polish  to  ooze  through  its  surface.  It  is 
not  necessary  to  put  a  rag  covering  on  the  rubbers  first 
used.  The  rubber  must  be  kept  free  from  creases, 
otherwise  it  will  cause  the  surface  to  which  it  is  applied 
to  be  stringy  or  full  of  ridges. 

Though  rags  have  been  mentioned  as  suitable  for 
the  outer  covering  or  casing  of  the  pad,  some  care  in 
their  selection  is  necessary.  A  piece  with  a  seam 
across  it  would  never  do  for  a  rubber,  and  anything 
which  would  tend  to  scratch  the  film  of  polish  as  it  is 
being  laid  or  worked  on  in  the  final  operation  of 
spiriting  off  must  be  carefully  avoided.  They  must  be 
either  cotton  or  linen,  and  ought  to  be  perfectly  soft 
and  fine  or,  at  any  rate,  free  from  knots  or  lumps. 
Some  polishers  advise  the  exclusive  use  of  linen,  but 
this  is  a  needless  restriction.  It  may  be  mentioned 
that  new  material  may  be  used  as  well  as  rags.  To 
render  this  suitable,  all  traces  of  the  sizing  and 
stiffening  with  which  it  may  have  been  finished  must 
be  removed  by  a  thorough  washing. 

Any  material  to  be  used  for  a  polishing  rubber  must 
be  thoroughly  well  dried.  Indeed,  the  necessity  of 
avoiding  damp  cannot  be  too  much  insisted  on.  With 
regard  to  the  substance  of  the  rubber,  white  wadding 
is  the  best  to  use,  and  this  is  readily  obtainable  from 
any  upholsterer  or  chemist.  It  may  be  purer  if  got 
from  the  latter,  but  it  is  certainly  much  dearer  than 
anv  reasonable  upholsterer  would  charge  for  something 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


7 1 


equally  suitable.  Wadding  bought  from  an  upholsterer 
has  a  thin  skin  on  one  or  both  sides,  according  to 
whether  it  has  been  split  or  not.  This  skin  must  be 
removed,  leaving  nothing  but  the  soft  cotton.  For  a 
few  cents  enough  ought  to  be  obtainable  to  last  a  con¬ 
siderable  time.  It  may  be  useful  to  know  that,  if  it  is 
clean,  the  raw  material  used  in  cotton  manufacturing 
districts  will  do  as  well  as  the  finest  wadding. 
Cotton  flock,  used  by  upholsterers  as  a  stuffing  for 
mattresses,  chairs,  etc.,  is  not  suitable  for  polishing, 
except  perhaps  for  the  coarsest  work.  Even  for  this 
it  should  not  be  used  if  anything  better  is  available. 
Rubbers  composed  entirely  of  flannel  are  occasionally 
recommended  for  special  kinds  of  work.  It  is  doubt¬ 
ful  if  there  is  any  advantage  in  using  flannel,  except 
for  large,  flat  surfaces,  which  can  be  got  over  more 
quickly  with  a  large  rubber  than  with  a  small  one. 
The  novice  is  advised  to  use  the  wadding  rubber,  and 
to  become  an  expert  polisher  with  it  before  experi¬ 
menting  with  anything  else. 

The  size  of  the  rubber  will,  to  some  extent,  depend 
on  the  nature  of  the  work,  but  that  above  given  may 
be  regarded  as  generally  suitable.  A  very  large  rubber 
is  not  advisable  at  first,  and  the  polisher,  as  he  gains 
experience,  must  be  guided  by  circumstances.  In 
handling  it,  moreover,  the  polisher  will  be  equally 
guided;  a  rubber  of  moderate  dimensions  is  usually 
held  by  the  tips  of  the  thumb  and  fingers,  but  the 
polisher  will  probably  find  a  large  rubber  can  be  more 
conveniently  used  by  holding  it  in  the  palm  of  the 
hand. 

The  rubber  must  be  charged  with  polish  for  use,  and 
some  care  will  have  to  be  exercised  in  doing  this. 
The  covering  of  the  rubber  is  opened  so  that  a  little 


7  2 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


polish  can  be  dropped  on  the  wadding.  A  convenient 
way  of  doing  this  is  to  have  the  polish  in  a  bottle,  the 
cork  of  which  has  a  channel  or  notch  cut  in  it  to  allow 
only  a  few  drops  to  escape  at  a  time.  Some  polishers 
dip  a  portion  of  the  rubber  into  the  polish,  but  the 
other  method  is  more  generally  adopted.  It  must  not 
be  saturated;  only  enough  polish  to  moisten  the 
wadding  must  be  used,  or  what  will  appear  through  the 
rag  covering  when  pressed.  The  rubber  having  been 
thus  charged,  gather  up  the  edges  of  rag  as  before 
directed.  Then,  to  distribute  the  polish  equally, 
press  the  rubber  moderately  firmly  into  the  palm  of 
the  other  hand.  The  rubber  ought  now  to  be  ready  for 
application  to  the  wood,  which  may  be  assumed  to 


have  been  properly 
prepared  to  receive 
its  first  coating  of 
polish. 


At  this  stage  the 
principal  thing  is  to 
get  a  good  body  of 


Fig.  113 


polish  evenly  spread  on  the  wood.  How  this  may 
best  be  done  depends  on  circumstances;  but  if  the 
desired  result  is  obtained,  the  precise  method  is  of 
secondary  consequence.  Let  it  be  assumed  that  the 
work  to  be  done  is  a  small,  flat  surface.  With  moder¬ 
ate  pressure  on  the  rubber,  quickly  wipe  over  the  entire 
surface,  first  with  the  grain  of  the  wood,  then  across  it. 
Then,  without  delay,  go  over  it  more  minutely,  the 
motion  generally  adopted  for  the  rubber  being  shown 
in  the  illustrations  (Figs.  1 13  and  1 14).  At  first  the  pres¬ 
sure  should  be  gentle,  but  it  should  be  increased  as  the 
polish  gets  worked  in  and  the  rubber  drier,  though  at 
no  time  must  the  rubbing  decline  to  scrubbing. 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


73 


While  the  rubber  is  in  contact  with  the  wood  it  must 
be  kept  constantly  in  motion.  An  important  point  is 
not  to  allow  the  rubber  to  remain  stationary  on  the 
woodwork  during  temporary  absence  or  at  the  end  of 
the  day’s  work.  As  the  rubber  gets  dry  it  must  be 
recharged  with  polish,  but  let  the  novice  beware  of 
using  this  in  excess. 

Old  rubbers  are  better  than  new,  so  when  done  with 
they  should  be  kept  in  an  airtight  receptacle,  such  as 
a  tin  canister  or  a  biscuit  box.  When  any  job  is 
finished,  do  not  throw  the  rubber  away  under  the 
impression  that  a 
rubber  once  laid  aside 
becomes  useless. 

This  occurs  only 
when  it  is  left  ex¬ 
posed  to  the  air,  be¬ 
cause  then  it  hardens 
throughout.  I  f  ,  a  s 
stated,  the  rubbers 
are  kept  from  the  air, 
only  the  outside  cov-  Fig.  114 

ering  will  get  dry  and 

hard,  and  this  can  be  readily  softened  by  rubbing  it  in 
raw  alcohol. 

Every  time  the  rubber  is  wetted  with  polish  it 
should  be  pressed  in  the  palm  of  the  left  hand,  which 
will  equalize  the  polish.  After  the  cover  is  put  over, 
which  should  be  some  clean  old  cotton  or  print  rags, 
the  tip  of  the  finger  should  be  dipped  in  linseed  oil 
and  applied  to  rubber  cover — just  enough  to  keep  it 
from  sticking.  As  soon  as  the  cover  has  a  shiny 
appe'arance,  it  should  be  removed  to  a  fresh  place. 
As  soon  as  the  work  has  got  a  good  body  of  polish  on, 


74 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


it  should  be  set  away  for  at  least  ten  hours,  to  allow  for 
the  polish  to  sink,  which  always  takes  place. 

Before  commencing  to  polish  again,  the  work  should 
be  very  carefully  rubbed  over  with  the  finest  glass- 
paper  obtainable,  taking  care  not  to  cut  through  the 
skin;  then  proceed  as  before.  Be  sure  never  to  let  the 
rubber  stop  in  one  place  for  an  instant,  as  it  will  surely 
take  off  the  polish  to  the  bare  wood  and  spoil  the  job. 
After  the  work  has  sufficient  polish  on,  it  should  be 
allowed  to  stand  three  or  four  hours  before  spiriting 
off. 

The  same  rubber  will  do;  only  use  spirits.  Just 
damp  the  rubber,  and  cover  three  or  four  times  double 
with  cover,  and  rub  very  lightly  over  the  work;  but 
care  must  be  taken  not  to  make  the  rubber  too  wet, 
or  the  work  will  be  spoiled.  The  same  process  will 
answer  for  pine  or  deal,  only  no  filling  is  required,  but 
a  coat  of  clean  patent  size,  before  applying  the  polish. 

The  ingredients  for  the  above  kind  of  work  are  quite 
numerous,  but  shellac,  dissolved  in  alcohol,  is  the  basis 
of  all  French  polishes,  and  some  finishers  use  thin 
shellac  varnish  without  other  admixture,  slightly 
moistening  the.  rubber  with  linseed  oil  to  prevent 
stickiness  and  make  it  work  smoothly.  There  is  a 
great  variety  of  admixtures  and  diversity  in  the 
proportion  of  ingredients,  but  the  differences  are  not 
material.  I  subjoin  a  number  of  recipes. 

First  and  Best. — To  one  pint  of  spirits  of  wine  add  a 
quarter  of  an  ounce  of  gum-copal,  a  quarter  of  an 
ounce  of  gum  arabic,  and  one  ounce  of  shellac. 

Let  the  gums  be  well  bruised,  and  sifted  through  a 
piece  of  muslin.  PutTthe  spirits  and  the  gums  together 
in  a  vessel  that  can  be  closely  corked;  place  them 
near  a  warm  stove,  and  frequently  shake  them.  In 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


75 


two  or  three  days  they  will  be  dissolved.  Strain  the 
mixture  through  a  piece  of  muslin,  and  keep  it  tight 
corked  for  use. 

Next. — Take  one  ounce  each  of  mastic,  sandarac, 
seed  lac,  shellac,  gum  lac,  and  gum  arabic;  reduce 
them  to  powder;  and  add  a  quarter  of  an  ounce  of 
virgin  wax;  put  the  whole  into  a  bottle,  with  one 
quart  of  rectified  spirits  of  wine;  let  it  stand  twelve 
hours,  and  it  will  be  fit  for  use. 

Another. — Put  into  a  glass  bottle  one  ounce  of 
gum  lac,  two  drachms  of  mastic  in  drops,  four  drachms 
of  sandarac,  three  ounces  of  shellac,  and  half  an 
ounce  of  gum  dragon;  reduce  the  whole  to  powder; 
add  to  it  a  piece  of  camphor  the  size  of  a  nut,  and 
pour  on  it  eight  ounces  of  rectified  spirits  of  wine. 
Stop  the  bottle  close,  but  take  care,  when  the  gums 
are  dissolving,  that  it  is  not  more  than  half  full. 
Place  near  a  warm  stove  until  dissolved. 

Other  French  Polish  Recipes. — One  pint  naphtha,  3^2 
oz.  orange  shellac,  oz.  elima.  Darken  with  red 
sanders  wood. 

To  one  pint  of  spirits  of  wine,  add  half  an  ounce  of 
gum  shellac,  half  an  ounce  of  seed  lac,  and  a  quarter 
of  an  ounce  of  gum  sandarac;  submit  the  whole  to  a 
gentle  heat,  frequently  shaking  it,  till  the  various 
gums  are  dissolved,  when  it  is  fit  for  use. 

Shellac,  6  oz. ;  naphtha,  1  qt. ;  sandarac,  1  oz.; 
benzoin,  ^  oz. 

Three  oz.  shellac,  E*  oz-  gum  mastic  pulverized,  and 
1  pt.  methylated  spirits  of  wine  added.  Let  it  stand 
till  dissolved. 

Twelve  oz.  shellac,  2  oz.  gum  elima,  3  oz.  gum  copal, 
I  gal.  spirits  of  wine;  dissolve. 

The  following  must  be  well  mixed  and  dissolved; 


76 


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pale  shellac,  2y  lb.;  3  oz.  mastic,  3  oz.  sandarac,  1 
gal.  spirits  of  wine.  After  the  above  is  dissolved,  add 

1  pt.  copal  varnish,  oz.  shellac,  y2  oz.  gum  juniper, 
y2  oz.  benzoin,  y2  pt.  methylated  alcohol. 

A  Good  Polish. — To  I  pt.  spirits  of  wine  add,  in  fine 
powder,  1  oz.  seed  lac,  2  dr.  gum  guaiacum,  2  dr. 
dragons’  blood,  and  2  dr.  gum  mastic;  expose  them, 
in  a  vessel  stopped  close,  to  a  moderate  heat  for  three 
hours,  until  you  find  the  gum  dissolved;  strain  the 
whole  into  a  bottle  for  use,  with  a  quarter  of  a  gill  of 
the  best  linseed  oil,  to  be  shaken  up  well  with  it. 

This  polish  is  more  particularly  intended  for  dark 
colored  woods — for  it  is  apt  to  give  a  tinge  to  light 
ones,  as  satinwood  or  airwood,  etc. — owing  to  the 
admixture  of  the  dragons’  blood,  which  gives  it  a  red 
appearance. 

A  Polish  That  Will  Stand  Water. — Take  1  pt.  spirits  of 
wine,  2  oz.  gum  benzoin,  y  oz.  gum  sandarac,  and  y 
oz.  gum  anime;  these  must  be  put  into  a  stopped 
bottle,  and  placed  either  in  a  sand-bath  or  in  hot  water 
till  dissolved;  then  strain  the  mixture,  and,  after 
adding  about  a  quarter  of  a  gill  of  the  best  clear 
poppy  oil,  shake  it  well  up,  and  put  it  by  for  use. 

Prepared  Spirits. — This  preparation  is  useful  for 
finishing  after  any  of  the  foregoing  recipes,  as  it  adds 
to  the  luster  and  durability,  as  well  as  removes  every 
defect,  of  the  other  polishes  and  it  gives  the  surface  a 
most  brilliant  appearance. 

Half  a  pint  of  the  very  best  rectified  spirits  of  wine, 

2  dr.  shellac,  and  2  dr.  gum  benzoin.  Put  these 
ingredients  into  a  bottle,  and  keep  it  in  a  warm  place 
till  the  gum  is  all  dissolved,  shaking  it  frequently; 
when  cold,  add  two  teaspoonfuls  of  the  best  clear  white 
poppy  oil ;  shake  them  well  together,  and  it  is  fit  for  use. 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


77 


This  preparation  is  used  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
foregoing  polishes;  but,  in  order  to  remove  all  dull, 
places,  you  may  increase  the  pressure  in  rubbing. 

Polish  for  Turner’s  Work. — Dissolve  I  oz.  sandarac  in 
Yz  pt.  spirits  of  wine;  shave  i  oz.  beeswax,  and  dissolve 
it  in  a  sufficient  quantity  of  spirits  of  turpentine  to 
make  it  into  a  paste,  add  the  former  mixture  to  it  by 
degrees;  then,  with  a  woolen  cloth,  apply  it  to  the 
work  while  it  is  in  motion  in  the  lathe,  and  polish  it 
with  a  soft  linen  rag;  it  will  appear  as  if  highly 
varnished. 

A  French  Polish  Reviver. — Beat  gum  acacia  and  white 
of  two  eggs  in  a  mortar  until  they  amalgamate;  then 
add  y2  pt.  raw  linseed  oil  and  best  vinegar,  8  oz. 
methylated  spirits  of  wine,  i  oz.  hydrochloric  acid  and 
2  oz.  muriate  of  antimony.  They  are  to  be  rubbed  on 
the  surface  of  the  furniture  until  dry,  and  will  give  a 
brilliant  and  lasting  polish. 

It  now  remains  to  explain  the  several  varieties  of 
finishing  in  use;  these  are  largely  derived  from  the 
peculiar  qualities  of  the  different  varnishes  used. 
Polishing  varnishes,  which  are  very  hard  and  durable, 
are  so  called  because  their  surface  can  be  brought  to  a 
high  luster  by  rubbing  with  the  proper  materials. 
Flowing  or  finishing  varnishes  contain  more  oil  than 
polishing  varnishes,  dry  more  slowly,  and  are  softer, 
but  their  peculiar  qualities  are  brilliancy  and  dura¬ 
bility,  fitting  them  for  work  requiring  a  brilliant  gloss, 
such  as  veneered  panels.  Rubbing  varnishes  are  those 
that  dry  sufficiently  hard  to  admit  of  being  rubbed  to 
a  smooth  surface.  Turpentine  varnishes,  being  the 
cheapest  variety,  are  employed  for  cheap  work,  such 
as  common  chairs,  bedsteads,  etc. 

Dead  Finish  is  a  term  applied  to  the  finish  pro- 


78 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


duced  by  the  reduction  of  any  of  the  rubbing  varnishes 
with  powdered  pumice-stone  and  raw  linseed  oil,  the 
surface  thus  produced  being  left  in  the  semi-lustrous 
state  by  omitting  the  polishing  process.  It  is  now 
more  used  than  any  other  for  body  work,  shellac 
varnish  being  generally  employed  because  of  its 
adaptation  to  the  requirements  of  fine  cabinet-work, 
and  its  properties  of  quick  and  hard  drying.  Copal, 
anime,  and  amber  varnishes  are  also  used,  but  are 
slower  drying.  The  number  of  coats  required  depends 
somewhat  upon  the  quality  of  the  filler,  but  usually 
three  coats,  and  sometimes  less,  are  amply  suffi¬ 
cient. 

Bodying  In  and  Spiriting  Off. — The  term  bodying, 
applied  to  the  polisher’s  art,  means  coating  the  wood 
with  a  thin,  evenly  distributed  layer  of  the  polish. 
The  way  in  which  this  is  done  greatly  affects  the 
appearance  and  the  durability  of  the  gloss.  When  the 
body  is  too  thin,  the  gloss  subsequently  given  to  it 
may  at  first  be  beautiful,  but  as  the  polish  sinks  or 
perishes  the  gloss  fades.  When  the  body  is  too  thick 
the  gloss  may  appear  all  right,  but  the  work  is  apt  to 
look  treacly,  as  though  varnish  had  been  used;  besides, 
a  thick  body  impairs  the  pure  tone  of  some  woods. 
The  high  degree  of  excellence  to  which  polishing  is 
capable  of  being  brought  is  seen  only  on  the  best 
cabinet-work.  Polish  on  second-rate  furniture  or 
finish  is  generally  in  keeping  with  the  inferior  quality 
of  the  woodwork.  The  cheap,  gaudy  furniture  which  is 
often  seen  in  shops  must  not  be  taken  as  models  of 
polishing.  The  price  paid  for  polishing  is  reduced, 
with  the  result  that  inferior  polish  is  used  and  less  time 
is  spent  on  the  work.  Although  the  best  materials  and 
the  expenditure  of  time  and  labor  will  not  insure  good 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


79 


work  by  unpracticed  hands,  they  are  important  factors, 
and  it  will  be  wise  to  use  materials  of  good  quality. 

To  make  a  good  average  polish,  neither  too  thick 
nor  too  thin,  about  six  ounces  of  shellac  to  each  pint 
of  methylated  or  alcohol  spirit  will  be  required,  but 
great  exactitude  in  the  proportions  is  not  necessary. 
The  proportions  may  vary  according  to  the  fancy  of 
the  polisher,  and,  to  some  extent,  according  to  the 
nature  of  the  work  he  is  engaged  on.  If  the  polish 
turns  out  too  thick,  it  can  be  thinned  by  adding  more 
spirit;  if  too  thin,  the  deficiency  can  be  made  up  by 
adding  more  shellac.  A  rough-and-ready  way  of 
measuring  the  proportions  is  to  half  fill  a  bottle  with 
the  roughly  broken  shellac,  and  then  fill  up  with 
ordinary  methylated  spirit. 

The  shellac  dissolves  gradually,  and  the  process  is 
hastened  by  an  occasional  shaking  or  stirring  with  a 
stick.  Heat  is  not  necessary;  indeed,  the  preparation 
of  polish  by  heat  is  dangerous. 

Two  kinds  of  polish  are  used.  One,  known  as 
“white  polish,”  is  nearly  colorless;  the  other  is  known 
as  “brown  polish,”  or  simply  “polish.”  The  latter  is 
always  understood  if  unqualified  by  the  word  “white.” 
White  polish  is  made  with  white  or  bleached  shellac; 
the  other  with  ordinary  orange  or  reddish-brown 
shellac. 

Either  polish  may  be  used  on  any  kind  of  wood, 
except  where  great  purity  of  tint  is  required.  The 
white  is  to  be  preferred  for  all  light  woods,  such  as 
light  oak,  ash,  sycamore,  satin,  etc.,  while  the  brown 
may  be  used  on  darker;  but  even  on  these,  white 
polish  is  good,  with  the  exception  of  mahogany,  the 
only  ordinary  fine  wood  for  which  a  decided  preference 
might  be  given  to  brown  polish.  Under  ordinary 


8o 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


circumstances,  however,  either  polish  may  be  used 
indiscriminately.  The  point  as  to  brown  or  white 
polish  for  dark  wood  belongs  to  the  higher  branches 
of  the  polisher’s  art. 

It  will  be  seen  that  white  polish  is  the  more  generally 
useful  of  the  two,  so  those  who  do  not  care  to  keep 
both  kinds  may  confine  themselves  to  it.  Through 
the  slightly  higher  price  of  the  bleached  shellac,  it 
costs  a  little  more,  but  the  extra  cost  is  so  small  that  it 
is  hardly  worth  considering  by  those  who  use  small 
quantities.  Those  who  use  polish  in  large  quantities 
can  have  both  kinds. 

Polish  bought  ready-made  may  be  equal  to  that 
made  at  home  from  the  recipe  given,  for  there  is 
nothing  to  prevent  manufacturers  using  the  same 
ingredients,  and  many  of  them  do.  Still,  from  the 
impossibility  of  knowing  the  ingredients  in  ready¬ 
made  polish,  there  is  some  risk  attending  its  use. 
From  the  price  at  which  some  polish  is  sold,  it  is  fair 
to  suppose  that  something  cheaper  than  spirit  or 
shellac  has  been  used;  and  though  good  polish  may  be 
bought,  it  is  better  for  the  user  to  prepare  his  own, 
which  can  be  depended  on.  Bought  polish  may  be 
thoroughly  good  in  every  way — brilliant,  clear,  and 
durable — but  those  who  are  best  able  to  judge  generally 
prefer  to  make  their  own  polish  to  do  the  best  class 
of  work.  Prejudice  majf  account  for  this  preference. 

Manufacturers  of  polish  assert  that,  in  addition  to 
shellac,  certain  gums  or  resins  improve  the  quality  of 
the  polish,  when  used  with  knowledge  and  discretion. 
For  instance,  one  gum  may  give  increased  elasticity, 
while  another  may  harden  the  film;  but  for  a  good  all¬ 
round  polish,  which  can  be  relied  on,  many  polishers 
assert  that  there  is  nothing  to  surpass  a  simple  solution 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


81 


of  shellac  and  alcohol.  A  few  approved  formulre  for 
polishes  have  been  given,  so  that  those  who  feel 
inclined  to  do  so  may  experiment  for  themselves. 
Shellac  is  the  principal  ingredient  in  nearly  all.  Those 
persons  who  cannot  polish  with  shellac  and  spirit 
alone  will  not  be  able  to  do  any  better  with  the  more 
complicated  mixtures;  therefore,  no  one  should  remain 
under  the  impression  that  he  will  do  better  if  he 
works  with  another  kind  of  polish. 

Enough  having  now  been  said  about  the  material, 
we  may  proceed  to  the  using  of  it  for  bodying.  In 
the  first  place,  the  wood  must  be  prepared  by  filling  of 
one  kind  or  another,  and  rubbed  down  smoothly  with 
fine  or  worn  glass-paper,  in  order  to  make  it  fit  to 
receive  the  polish,  for  a  high  degree  of  finish  cannot 
be  got  on  a  rough  surface.  The  rubber,  which  consists 
of  cotton  wadding  with  a  soft  rag  cover,  with  which 
the  polish  is  applied,  has  been  sufficiently  treated  on, 
so  that  nothing  more  need  be  said  about  it.  Work, 
rubber,  polish,  and  a  little  raw  linseed  oil  being  ready, 
bodying  in  may  be  proceeded  with  in  the  following 
way: 

Moisten  the  wadding  with  polish;  put  the  rag  cover 
on  carefully,  so  that  it  is  without  folds  or  wrinkles. 
Dab  the  rubber  into  the  palm  of  the  left  hand  to  dis¬ 
tribute  the  polish  evenly,  and  cause  it  to  moisten  the 
rag  at  the  bottom  properly.  Supposing  the  work  is  a 
panel  or  flat  surface,  the  following  will  be  found  a 
good  method  of  treating  it,  and  it  is  one  that  is 
followed  more  or  less  closely  by  experienced 
polishers. 

Rub  briskly  across  the  grain  to  get  the  surface 
covered  with  polish;  then  by  a  series  of  circular 
movements,  as  shown  by  the  lines  in  Figs.  113  and 


82 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


1 14,  go  over  the  whole  of  the  work.  A  moderate 
pressure  should  be  applied,  which  should  be  increased 
gradually  as  the  rubber  dries,  but  the  movement 
should  at  no  time  degenerate  into  mere  scrubbing. 
In  order  that  the  rubber  may  work  smoothly  without 
sticking,  a  little  raw  linseed  oil  should  be  applied  on 
the  face  of  the  rubber.  The  less  of  this  used  the 
better,  and  if  it  can  be  dispensed  with  altogether  no 
harm  will  be  done.  To  make  the  rubber  work  smoothly 
a  very  little  will  suffice;  the  tip  of  a  finger,  moistened 
with  oil,  and  touched  on  the  face  of  the  rubber,  is  all 
that  is  required.  The  rubber  must  not  be  dipped  in 
the  oil,  nor  must  the  oil  be  dropped  on  it  from  a 
bottle,  for  by  these  means  more  oil  would  be  applied 
than  is  necessary,  and  this  would  be  fatal  to  good 
work. 

The  only  recognized  oil  used  in  French  polishing  is 
raw  linseed.  This  may  be  worked  over  the  natural 
woods  in  the  first  place,  to  give  them  that  peculiar 
tone  that  cannot  be  gained  by  other  means;  otherwise 
the  less  oil  used  the  better  for  the  durability  of  the 
work.  Bear  in  mind  that  it  forms  no  part  of  polish  in 
itself,  being  used  only  to  enable  us  to  work  the  gums 
easily;  thus,  without  its  aid  the  polish  rubber  would  be 
apt  to  stick  or  drag,  thus  breaking  up  the  surface 
instead  of  leveling  it.  On  any  surface  in  which  spirit 
varnish  forms  a  part  this  will  be  particularly  notice¬ 
able;  and  in  any  case,  it  is  next  to  impossible  to  get 
that  beautiful  level  surface  gained  by  spiriting  out 
unless  a  little  oil  is  used. 

As  the  rubber  dries,  more  polish  must  be  applied  to 
it,  as  was  done  in  the  first  instance,  with  more  oil  as 
required.  A  small  quantity  of  polish  goes  a  long  way, 
and  the  novice  must  carefully  avoid  making  the 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER  83 

rubber  wet.  It  should  be  no  more  than  fairly 
moist. 

Many  a  beginner,  noticing  how  tedious  the  work  is 
with  a  dry  rubber,  may  think  that  if  he  used  more 
polish  the  desired  result  would  be  more  quickly 
attained.  If  the  object  were  merely  to  get  the  wood 
coated,  this  might  be  the  case;  but  the  result  of  using 
too  much  polish  would  be  that  the  shellac  left  by  the 
quick  evaporation  of  the  spirit  would  be  ridgy  and 
irregular,  instead  of  in  a  fine,  even  coating  or  body. 
Anything  approaching  a  flow  of  polish  from  the 
rubber  must  be  avoided.  When  the  rubber  is  not 
sufficiently  charged  with  polish,  the  labor  of  bodying 
up  will  be  unduly  protracted,  or  may  be  rendered 
impossible  if  no  polish  can  be  rubbed  onto  the  wood. 

The  first  bodying-in  process  should  be  continued 
till  it  seems  that  the  wood  absorbs  no  more  of  the 
polish.  There  will  be  a  perceptible  gloss  on  its  sur¬ 
face,  but  it  will  be  streaky,  and  the  rubber-marks  will 
show  very  distinctly.  All  these  marks  will  be  removed 
later  on.  It  may  be  thought  that,  if  the  polish  is  too 
thick  or  too  thin,  the  result  will  be  very  much  the 
same  as  if  the  rubber  were  too  wet  or  too  dry.  The. 
principal  objection  to  having  the  polish  too  thin  is 
that  it  will  take  more  time  in  working  a  good  body  on 
the  wood.  It  will,  however,  be  better  to  risk  this 
rather  than  to  have  the  polish  too  thick.  An 
experienced  polisher  would  soon  detect  fault  in  either 
direction  by  the  way  in  which  the  polish  works,  but  the 
novice  must  be  on  the  look-out  for  irregularities  in  the 
shape  of  lumps  or  ridges,  and,  with  a  little  attention, 
he  will  have  no  difficulty  in  avoiding  serious  mishaps. 

Let  the  work  stand  for  at  least  a  day,  carefully 
covered  up  from  dust;  on  examining  it  the  body  will 


84 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


be  found  to  have  altered  in  appearance  to  an  extent 
which  will  depend  upon  how  much  the  polish  has 
sunk  into  the  wood.  The  work  must  be  again  bodied 
up  as  before,  always  remembering  to  use  as  little  oil 
as  possible.  Then  it  will  be  again  laid  aside,  and  the 
bodying  process  repeated  till  the  polish  no  longer 
seems  to  sink  in,  even  after  the  work  has  lain  aside  for 
a  few  days.  When  this  stage  is  reached,  the  bodying 
may  be  considered  complete,  and  the  work  ready  for 
the  first  polishing  operations.  Before  proceeding  to 
consider  these,  however,  the  novice  will  do  well  to 
note  the  following  hints: 

The  number  of  times  the  work  will  require  to  be 
bodied  depends  on  circumstances.  Fine,  close-grained 
woods  will  not  require  so  many  as  the  more  open 
kinds,  such  as  oak,  ash,  mahogany,  etc.;  but  for  the 
best  work,  which  is  intended  to  be  as  durable  as  can 
be,  it  need  rarely  exceed  four.  An  interval  of  one  or 
more  days  may  elapse  between  the  successive  bodies, 
the  chief  object  of  waiting  being  to  let  them  sink  as 
much  as  they  will.  If,  after  the  work  has  been  laid 
aside  for  a  few  days,  the  polish  has  not  sunk  at  all,  no 
advantage  would  be  gained  by  giving  it  another  body 
It  is  very  seldom  that  the  first  body  is  enough,  but 
often  only  one  body  is  applied,  where  either  low  price 
or  limited  time  will  not  allow  of  more;  so  those  who 
wish  to  do  polishing  need  not  think  the  process  can¬ 
not  be  hurried. 

Still,  imperfect  bodying  is  not  advisable,  as  such 
work  will  soon  want  touching  up.  When  work  is 
made  merely  to  sell,  one  body,  and  that  of  the 
(slightest,  is  sufficient — from  the  seller’s  point  of  view, 
if  not  from  the  buyer’s.  Between  the  bodyings, 
especially  after  the  first  and  second,  the  surface  of  the 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


85 


work  should  be  rubbed  down  with  fine  glass-paper — 
not  to  rub  the  body  off,  but  just  enough  to  smooth  the 
surface.  It  may  here  be  remarked  that  pumice 
powder,  used  in  moderation,  is  useful  for  working 
down  inequalities  of  surface.  Sandpapering  has  been 
recommended  as  necessary  after  the  first  and  second 
bodies,  but  the  process  may  be  done  after  any  others, 
though  it  should  not  be  required  if  the  work  has  been 
skillfully  done.  In  fact,  the  final  bodying  up  may  be 
regarded  almost  as  the  beginning  of  the  spiriting  off. 

Before  beginning  to  work  a  fresh  body  on  a  previous 
one,  it  is  as  well  to  wash  the  surface  gently  with 
lukewarm  water,  not  using  too  much  of  it,  in  order  to 
remove  the  grease  and  allow  the  rubber  to  work  freely. 
The  water  must  be  thoroughly  dried  up  before  apply¬ 
ing  the  rubber.  In  moderation  the  washing  can  never 
do  harm,  and  is,  generally,  an  advantage,  though  not 
absolutely  necessary.  When  a  long  interval  has 
elapsed,  the  washing  should  never  be  omitted,  as  dust 
will  settle  on  the  work;  and  it  need  scarcely  be  said 
that  dust  should  not  be  rubbed  into  the  polish. 

When  bodying  up,  polishers  should  see  that  their 
hands  are  clean  and  free  from  old  polish,  which  is  so 
often  seen  on  them.  If  they  are  soiled  with  old  polish 
or  shellac,  bits  are  apt  to  flake  off  and  destroy  the 
surface  of  new  work.  This  may  be  an  appropriate 
place  to  say  that  any  polish  which  sticks  to  the  hands 
may  be  washed  away  with  hot  water  and  soda,  or  with 
alcohol. 

The  body  should  be  thin,  as  it  is  not  so  much  the 
quantity  of  body  on  the  wood  as  its  quality  that  is 
important;  it  is  also  essential  that  it  should  be  applied 
with  sufficient  intervals  between  the  successive  bodies 
to  allow  of  sinkage. 


86 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


Another  important  matter  is  to  dry  the  rubbers  well 
by  working  them  on  each  body  till  dry,  and  not  to 
moisten  them  frequently.  By  this  means  the  film  of 
shellac  is  kept  thin.  Neither  a  wet  nor  a  dry  rubber 
should  on  any  account  be  allowed  to  stand  on  a  surface 
being  polished.  The  rubber  must  be  kept  moving, 
and  should  glide  gradually  on  to  the  work,  not  be 
dabbed  down  on  it.  In  the  initial  stages  of  bodying 
care  in  this  respect  is  not  so  important  as  later  on, 
when  it  is  absolutely  necessary.  The  same  precaution 
should  be  used  when  lifting  the  rubber  from  the  work. 

For  the  guidance  of  beginners,  it  may  be  stated  that 
if  they  take  care  of  the  edges  of  the  work  the  rest  of 
the  surface  will  look  after  itself.  The  reason  is  that 
the  edges  are  apt  to  be  somewhat  neglected,  and  the 
polish  to  be  less  there  than  elsewhere.  The  secret  of 
a  good,  durable  polish  depends  primarily  on  a  good 
body,  and  this,  in  its  turn,  on  sufficient  time  having 
been  allowed  for  sinkage. 

The  final  operation  in  French  polishing,  by  which 
the  gloss  is  put  on  the  body  previously  applied,  is 
known  as  spiriting  off.  In  this  operation  rubber  marks 
and  smears  of  all  kinds  are  removed,  and  the  beautiful 
surface,  known  as  French  polish,  is  the  result.  Body¬ 
ing  is  important  so  far  as  durability  is  concerned,  but 
spiriting  is  more  so  with  regard  to  finish.  If  the 
worker  fails  in  spiriting,  his  previous  efforts  will,  to  a 
great  extent,  have  been  in  vain.  Disregarding  staining, 
darkening,  and  other  processes,  with  which  a  good 
polisher  should  be  acquainted,  the  spiriting  is  perhaps 
the  most  severe  test  of  skill  in  the  whole  process  of 
polishing;  and  a  man  who  can  manage  this  part  of  the 
work  really  well  may  be  considered  a  competent 
polisher. 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


87 


The  first  operation  to  be  described  in  the  process  of 
spiriting  off  partakes  very  much  of  the  nature  of  body 
ing  in.  At  the  beginning  it  is  bodying,  and  at  the  end 
spiriting.  The  two  processes  merge  one  into  the  other. 
There  is  no  abrupt  break,  as  between  filling  and  bodying, 
except  for  the  intermediate  stage,  although  the  processes 
are  well  defined,  both  in  character  and  purpose.  This 
intermediate  stage  is  not  always  practiced,  but  it  is  rec¬ 
ommended  when  good  work  is  wanted.  Briefly,  spiriting 
off  consists  in  washing  the  bodied  surface  with  methyl¬ 
ated  spirit.  This  being  understood,  the  final  bodying  up, 
or  first  spiriting  off,  whichever  this  process  may  be 
called,  consists  in  gradually  reducing  the  quantity  of 
polish  in  the  rubber,  and  supplying  its  place  with  spirit. 
The  polish  is  gradually  reduced  by  the  addition  of  spirit 
till  all  the  polish  has  been  worked  out  of  the  rubber. 
The  rubber  may  be  charged,  first  with  three  parts 
polish  and  one  part  spirit;  next  time  equal  quantities; 
the  third  time  three  parts  spirit  and  one  part  polish; 
and  the  fourth  charging  will  be  with  spirit  only.  It 
does  not  follow  that  these  proportions  need  be  strictly 
observed,  nor  are  they  so  in  practice,  but  this  example 
illustrates  the  process.  The  last  rubber  will  be  almost 
free  from  polish,  and  it  should  be  worked  till  it  is  dry, 
or  nearly  so. 

At  this  stage  spiriting  proper  may  begin,  and  a  fresh 
rubber  should  be  used.  It  need  not  be  a  new  one,  but 
it  should  be  one  which  has  been  used  only  for  spiriting, 
and  which  has  no  polish  on  it.  It  will  be  better  if  it 
has  three  or  four  coverings  of  rag  on  its  face,  which 
can  be  removed  as  they  dry.  If  only  one  cover  is  used 
the  spirit  is  apt  to  evaporate  too  quickly.  The  spirit 
in  the  rubber  has  a  tendency  to  partially  dissolve  the 
shellac  or  body  on  the  wood.  This  it  does  to  a  very 


88 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


limited  extent,  unless  the  rubber  is  made  too  wet,  when 
there  is  danger  of  not  only  spiriting  and  smoothing  the 
surface,  but  of  actually  washing  away  the  body.  This 
mishap  must  be  carefully  guarded  against.  There 
should  be  enough  spirit  to  allow  the  surface  of  the 
body  to  be  softened  and  smoothed,  but  no  more,  and 
the  rubbing  should  be  uniform,  and  not  more  in  one 
place  than  in  another.  There  is  hardly  any  likeli¬ 
hood  of  the  novice  erring  by  using  too  little  spirit,  so 
he  may  be  reminded  that  the  less  of  it  there  is  in  the 
rubber  at  a  time  the  better.  The  rubbing  should  be 
gentle  at  first,  becoming  harder  as  the  spirit  dries  off, 
and  oil  must  not  be  used  on  the  rubber  face,  for  when 
there  is  oil  either  on  the  rubber  or  on  the  work,  the 
polish  cannot  be  brought  up. 

The  chief  cause  of  failure  lies  in  getting  the  spirit 
rubber  too  wet,  and  so  softening  and  tearing  up  the 
gums.  Many  meet  with  success  by  dispensing  with  it, 
using  instead  a  swab  of  clean,  soft  rag,  fairly  damp 
(not  wet)  with  alcohol. 

If  the  spi ri ting-off  process  is  being  done  correctly 
the  gloss  will  soon  begin  to  appear,  and  when  it 
seems  approaching  a  finished  condition,  the  rubber 
ought  to  be  moved  only  in  the  direction  of  the  grain, 
and  not  across  it  nor  with  circular  motion.  The  final 
touches  should  be  given  with  the  soft  rubber  rag  alone, 
care  being  taken  not  to  scratch  the  surface,  which  is 
now  softened  by  the  action  of  the  spirit.  The  surface 
will  gradually  harden,  but  for  a  time  it  should  be 
handled  with  care,  and  nothing  be  allowed  to  comt  ir. 
contact  with  it,  or  it  is  very  likely  to  be  marked.  It 
should  also  be  protected  from  dust,  for  any  settling  on 
it  may  be  retained  by  the  polish,  the  luster  of  which 
would  certainly  suffer. 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


8c 

Hardwood  finishers,  and  perhaps  dealers  in  furniture 
who  do  not  keep  an  experienced  polisher,  or  who  may 
not  be  able  to  get  their  work  done  out,  may  b 
reminded  that,  circumstances  permitting,  polished 
work  should  be  wiped  over  with  a  spirit-rubber  an  hour 
or  two  before  it  is  finished,  to  freshen  it  up.  If  the 
surface  is  at  all  soft,  neither  packing  mats,  nor  any¬ 
thing  else  likely  to  injure  it,  should  be  allowed  to  come 
in  contact  with  it.  The  polishing  on  many  things  sent 
long  journeys  is  often  greatly  disfigured  from  mat  and 
other  markings,  but  they  are  easily  touched  up  on 
arrival  at  their  destination. 

Some  polishers  make  use  of  a  glaze  in  order  to  kill 
he  oil,  just  before  spiriting  off,  which  is  made  as 
follows: 

Gum-benzoin,  6  oz. ,  dissolved  in  alcohol  spirit  I  pt. 
Gums  other  than  that  mentioned  may  be  substituted  in 
order  to  cheapen  the  glaze  for  commercial  purposes, 
or  to  suit  the  fancy  of  polishers  who  make  up  their  own 
solutions.  The  glaze  is  used  chiefly  when  leveling' 
down  spirit  varnish,  and  for  the  purpose  of  imparting 
a  bright  finish  to  mouldings.  As  practical  workers  have 
always  at  hand  rubbers  that  are  specially  charged  with 
white  polish,  brown  or  red  polish,  and  another  rubber 
for  glaze,  a  clear,  bright  finish  on  some  kinds  of  work 
may  be  easily  gained  by  passing  the  glaze  rubber  along 
the  edges,  sunk  portions,  or  even  over  the  whole  of  a 
flat  surface  just  before  clearing  out  with  the  spirit  pad. 
The  workman  must  not,  however,  suppose  that  such 
treatment  will  entirely  kill  the  oil,  if  an  excessive 
quantity  of  oil  has  been  used.  Any  excess  of  oh 
should  be  cleared  off  beforehand;  or,  better  still, 
entirely  avoided,  if  a  good,  lasting  quality  of  work  is 
desired. 


90 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


Glazing,  though  an  imitation,  has  a  recognized 
acceptance  among  polishers.  It  is  remarkably  con¬ 
venient  occasionally,  and  in  some  cases  possesses  an 
advantage  over  spiriting,  so  that  it  may  fairly  be 
classed  among  the  ordinary  processes  of  polishing. 
When  done  in  moderation,  glazing  is  as  useful  on 
furniture  carving  as  the  application  of  spirit  varnish. 
Such  work  is  commonly  said,  and  justly,  to  be  French 
polished.  The  real  objection  to  glaze  finish  is  that, 
though  at  first  the  appearance  is  equal,  it  is  not  so 
durable  as  the  other.  Glaze  may  be  said  to  be  even 
superior  to  badly  spirited  finish,  and  here  is  the  chief 
claim  it  has  for  notice.  It  is  seldom  that  a  casual 
polisher  can  manage  to  do  spiriting  thoroughly,  for  the 
reason  that  he  has  not  sufficient  opportunity  of  acquir¬ 
ing  practice. 

Nevertheless,  finishing  by  means  of  glaze  is  not  so 
good  as  the  method  by  spiriting,  when  the  latter  is 
well  done,  and  should  be  considered  as  a  means  of 
getting  the  same  effect  easily  and  quickly— an 
imitation,  in  fact,  of  the  real  thing;  the  difference 
between  the  spirit  and  glaze  finishes  is  that  in  the  one 
case  the  effect  is  produced  by  friction,  in  the  other  by 
the  addition  of  a  thin,  fine  varnish  to  the  surface  of 
the  body  of  polish.  In  the  former  case  the  polish 
itself  is  polished;  in  the  latter  it  is  varnished  with  a 
mixture  known  commonly  as  glaze,  but  to  which  other 
names  are  sometimes  given. 

Among  polishers  who  command  a  fair  price  for 
their  work,  glaze  is  of  comparatively  limited  applica¬ 
tion,  and  is  confined  to  those  parts  where  the  spirit' 
rubber  cannot  be  conveniently  used,  or  where  its  use 
is  not  necessary.  Instances  of  such  may  be  found  in 
chair-rails  and  various  parts  of  the  frame.  These  are 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


9i 


usually  polished,  more  or  less,  before  the  chair  is 
upholstered,  or,  at  any  rate,  before  the  outer  covering 
is  put  on,  the  finishing  being  almost  necessarily  done 
last  of  all.  The  less  the  chair  is  handled  by  the 
polisher  the  better,  especially  if  the  covering  is  a 
delicate  one,  for  there  is  less  risk  of  injury  with  one 
or  two  wipes  over  with  the  glaze  rubber  than  with  the 
more  prolonged  spiriting. 

^.Glaze  may  be  used  with  advantage  in  inlaid  work, 
where  the  inlay  is  slightly,  though  perhaps  not 
intentionally,  higher  than  the  surrounding  wood.  In 
such  a  case  it  is  better  to  resort  to  glaze  than  to  finish 
with  the  spirit  rubber.  On  fretwork,  also,  glaze  may 
often  be  used  with  advantage,  and,  generally,  it  is 
unobjectionable  on  parts  which  are  not  subject  to  wear 
and  tear.  It  will  stand  a  moderate  amount  of  handling, 
but  not  so  much  as  good,  hard  spirited-off  polish,  and 
the  luster  is  not  so  durable. 

Glaze,  under  one  or  other  of  its  different  names, 
may  be  bought  ready-made,  but,  for  reasons  similar  to 
those  given  in  connection  with  French  polish,  the 
home-made  article  is  to  be  recommended.  The  prep¬ 
aration  of  glaze  is  simple,  the  ingredients  being  gum- 
benzoin  and  methylated  spirit.  After  the  benzoin  is 
dissolved,  the  solution  should  be  strained  through 
muslin  to  free  it  from  foreign  matter.  The  proportions 
may  vary,  but  those  given  for  polish  do  very  well,  and 
with  the  substitution  of  crushed  benzoin  for  shellac  the 
process  of  making  is  exactly  the  same. 

Gum-benzoin  differs  greatly  in  quality,  but  the  best 
should  be  used  by  the  polisher.  Compared  with  lac  it 
is  expensive,  so  that  the  saving  which  is  attributed  to 
its  use  is  mainly  in  time,  which  is  money,  at  least  from 
a  trade  point  of  view.  Cheap  benzoin  is  not  to  be 


92 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


relied  on,  and  in  a  strange  place  an  experienced 
polisher  would  look  with  suspicion  on  any  offered  at  a 
very  low  price,  however  satisfactory  its  appearance. 
Where  material  is  liable  to  adulteration,  the  best  way 
to  avoid  imposition  is  to  go  to  a  reliable  dealer  and  to 
pay  a  fair  price. 

Glaze,  as  used  by  French  polishers,  can  be  bought 
ready-made  at  most  color  stores,  as  patent  glaze;  it 
improves  with  age.  To  make  the  genuine  article, 
dissolve  6  or  8  ounces  of  best  gum-benzoin  in  i  pint  of 
alcohol  spirit.  Keep  it  in  a  closely  stoppered  bottle, 
otherwise  the  spirit  will  evaporate  quickly. 

Glaze  may  be  applied  with  either  rubber,  sponge,  or 
brush;  in  most  cases  the  rubber  is  most  suitable  and  is 
most  commonly  used.  It  is  made  in  the  ordinary  way 
as  used  for  polish,  but  it  must  not  be  applied  with 
pressure.  The  glaze  is  painted  on  rather  than  rubbed 
into  the  work,  which  must  have  been  previously  bodied 
in.  There  seems  to  be  an  idea  that  glaze  or  something 
put  on  bare  wood  will  cause  a  gloss  right  off;  but 
nothing  will  do  this.  A  polish  can  only  be  got  on 
wood  by  varnish,  or  by  bodying-in  and  polish. 

When  using  glaze,  the  rubber  should  be  made  wetter 
than  for  polish  or  spirit;  but  still  there  should  not  be 
sufficient  to  drip  from  it.  It  should  glaze  or  wet  the 
wood  when  the  rubber  is  very  lightly  pressed  on  it. 
One  or  two  wipes  in  the  direction  of  the  grain  of  the 
wood,  with  a  somewhat  quick  motion,  will  put  the 
glaze  on.  Always  let  the  glaze  dry  before  applying 
the  rubber  again  to  the  same  place.  The  coats  may 
be  repeated  till  the  gloss  is  satisfactory,  but  the  film 
of  glaze  should  never  be  made  a  thick  one. 

If  preferred,  a  sponge  may  be  used  exactly  as  a 
rubber  would  be,  but  it  is  questionable  if  there  is  any 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


93 


advantage  gained;  it  is  rather  a  matter  of  fancy. 
When  a  brush  is  used,  the  glaze  may  be  applied  as  a 
varnish  pure  and  simple.  With  a  brush  a  mixture  of 
glaze  and  French  polish,  either  white  or  brown, 
according  to  the  work,  in  equal  quantities,  may  be  used 
with  advantage. 

Glaze  that  is  not  so  satisfactory  in  appearance  as  it 
should  be,  may  sometimes  be  improved  by  passing  a 
spirit-rubber  lightly  over  it,  though  this  should  be  done 
with  great  caution,  to  avoid  washing  it  off.  When 
carefully  and  skillfully  done,  there  can  be  little  doubt 
that  a  glazed  surface  may  be  often,  if  not  always, 
improved  by  slightly  spiriting  it. 

To  glaze  a  wide  surface,  see  that  it  is  free  from  dull 
streaks  and  ridges  and  oil,  and  the  rubber  soft  and  free 
from  fluff.  Apply  the  glaze  as  evenly  as  possible, 
going  over  the  surface  several  times,  until  the  rubber 
is  nearly  dry;  then,  with  the  smallest  quantity  of  oil 
and  a  little  spirits,  go  over  the  glaze,  very  lightly  at 
first,  varying  the  direction  of  the  rubber  to  avoid  ridges. 
A  dull ,  even  surface  may  be  obtained  by  adding  one- 
third  to  one-half  of  sandarac  to  the  solution  of 
benzoin,  and  using  the  rubber  only  damp— not 
saturated. 

Old  French  polished  work  may  often  be  revived  by 
being  lightly  gone  over  with  glaze  after  the  surface  has 
been  washed  and  cleaned  with  warm  water.  This 
treatment  is  often  considerably  better  than  that 
commonly  adopted  with  furniture  pastes,  polishes, 
creams,  and  revivers  of  various  kinds. 

Wax  Polishing. — Although  the  beauty  of  most 
furniture  woods  is  enhanced  to  the  highest  degree  by 
French  polishing  when  well  done,  there  are  other 
processes  which,  though  not  capable  of  being  hrought 


94 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


to  such  perfection,  are  much  simpler.  Among  these 
is  wax  polishing.  This  mode  of  finishing  is  remark¬ 
ably  easy,  both  as  regards  materials  and  manipulation, 
and  the  unskilled  novice  can  manage  to  wax-polish 
almost  as  well  as  an  expert.  It  is,  therefore,  a  suitable 
process  for  the  beginner. 

Though  any  wood  may  be  treated  by  waxing,  it  is 
generally  confined  to  oak,  especially  after  this  has  been 
darkened  by  fumigation  with  ammonia.  The  appear¬ 
ance  of  oak  so  finished  is  comparatively  dull,  but  it  has 
an  attractiveness  which  French  polish  does  not  possess 
for  all  eyes. 

For  antique  oak  furniture — whether  genuine  or 
imitation — wax  is  the  best  finish,  though  varnish  is 
often  used.  Wax  polish,  though  it  may  not  give  the 
same  amount  of  gloss,  is  clearer  and  finer.  Varnish 
clogs  the  wood,  and  is  apt  to  give  a  treacly  look  to  any 
piece  of  furniture  finished  with  it. 

Mahogany  may  very  appropriately  be  finished  by 
wax  polish,  and  for  many  purposes  it  may  be  superior 
to  the  dulled  French  polish  so  often  seen.  The  top  of 
a  dining-table  is  apt  to  be  rendered  unsightly  from 
hot  plates  or  dishes  injuring  the  polished  surfaces. 
The  heat  burns  or  blisters  the  hardened  shellac  of  the 
French  polish,  and  a  finish  which  is  not  so  liable  to 
disfigurement  is  preferable;  this  is  found  in  wax  polish. 
Usually,  dining-table  tops  (unless  French  polished)  are 
simply  oil  polished.  Waxing  is,  however,  less  tedious, 
and  at  least  as  suitable  for  the  purpose,  and  the  readi¬ 
ness  with  which  an  accidental  marking  can  be  obliter¬ 
ated  renders  it  particularly  useful. 

Wood  stained  black,  to  produce  so-called  ebony, 
may  be  wax  polished.  The  result  is  certainly  a  closer 
approximation  to  the  appearance  of  real  ebony  than 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


9$ 


when  the  work  is  French  polished  in  the  usual  way. 
By  polishing  fretwork  articles  with  wax  they  may 
easily  be  made  to  look  better  than  many  of  them  do 
whenmnskiilfully  French  polished. 

Though  it  has  been  said  that  any  wood  may  be  wax 
polished,  there  can  be  no  question  that  this  process 
answers  best  on  the  more  coarsely-grained  woods, 
such  as  oak  and  ash;  for  pine  and  other  light  woods  of 
close  texture  it  is  not  so  well  suited,  unless  they  have 
been  previously  stained. 

The  ingredients  for  wax  polish  are,  in  the  simplest 
mixture,  beeswax  and  turpentine.  Resin  and  Venice 
turpentine  are  occasionally  added.  Resin  is  added 
with  the  intention  of  hardening  the  surface;  but  pro¬ 
vided  the  wax  be  of  good  quality,  these  additions  are 
quite  unnecessary,  if  not  injurious,  and  a  good  result 
should  be  got  from  wax  and  turps. 

Wax  and  turpentine  alone  are  all  the  materials 
necessary  to  make  a  good  wax  polish,  and  when  any¬ 
thing  else  enters  into  the  composition  the  mixture  is 
one  of  a  fancy  character.  It  is  not  proposed  to  discuss 
the  qualities  of  beeswax  offered  for  sale,  and  the 
polisher  must  decide  what  kind  he  gets.  Some  advo¬ 
cate  the  use  of  fine  white  wax,  and  possibly  a  better 
finish  may  sometimes  be  got  with  it  than  with  the  ordi¬ 
nary  yellow  wax,  which,  however,  is  the  kind  generally 
used;  the  only  occasions  when  it  might  not  be  so  good 
as  the  white  are  when  extreme  purity  of  tone  is 
required  for  a  light  wood.  Wood  perfectly  white  is, 
however,  seldom  wax  polished. 

The  way  in  which  wax  polish  is  prepared  depends  a 
good  deal  on  the  proportions  of  the  materials.  For  a 
liquid  polish,  shred  the  wax  finely,  and  pour  the  tur¬ 
pentine  over  it,  leaving  the  two  till  they  are  incor- 


g6 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


porated.  Cold  turpentine  will  dissolve  wax  slowly, 
but  a  more  expeditious  method  is  to  melt  the  wax  by 
heat,  and  before  it  has  time  to  solidify  pour  the  tur¬ 
pentine  into  it.  Caution  is  necessary  when  melting 
wax,  and  on  no  account  should  the  turpentine  be 
poured  into  the  wax  while  it  is  still  on  the  fire.  With 
ordinary  care  there  is  no  danger,  and  the  possibility  of 
a  mishap  is  suggested  merely  for  the  benefit  of  those 
who  might  otherwise  overlook  the  inflammable  charac¬ 
ter  of  turpentine  vapor.  Should  the  mixture  be  either 
too  thick  or  too  thin,  there  will  be  no  trouble  in  alters 
ing  its  consistency  afterwards. 

To  thin  a  mass  which  is  too  stiff,  a  very  moderate 
warming,  by  placing  the  bottle  in  hot  water,  will  reduce 
it  to  a  more  liquid  form,  as  the  turpentine  already  in 
it  facilitates  the  change,  and  more  turpentine  is  added. 
To  stiffen  the  mixture,  wax  should  be  melted  separately, 
and  the  original  mixture  added  to  it.  The  heat  of  the 
freshly  melted  wax  will  probably  be  sufficient  to  cause 
all  the  materials  to. mix.  In  any  case,  the  wax  should 
be  thoroughly  melted  before  the  turpentine  is  added, 
as  a  lumpy  mixture  is  neither  pleasant  to  work  with 
nor  conducive  to  good  finish.  The  natural  tendency 
of  a  wax  polishing  mixture,  exposed  to  the  air,  is  to 
stiffen,  on  account  of  the  evaporation  of  the  turpen¬ 
tine.  A  considerable  time  must  elapse  before  there  is 
an  appreciable  alteration,  and  the  fact  that  a  change 
does  go  on,  slowly,  is  mentioned  to  remind  polishers 
that  if  they  have  a  considerable  quantity  of  the  mix¬ 
ture  standing  over,  they  must  not  expect  it  to  retain  its 
original  consistency  unless  kept  in  a  closed  vessel, 
such  as  a  tightly-corked  bottle. 

A  hint  for  those  who  think  that  the  more  ingredients 
a  mixture  contains  the  better  it  must  be,  and  who  are 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


97 


not  satisfied  unless  there  is  a  certain  amount  of  resin 
in  their  wax  polishing  paste:  •  Always  melt  the  resin 
first,  and  add  the  wax  gradually,  and  constantly  stir. 
Whether  resin  be  used  or  not,  the  mixture  should  be 
allowed  to  get  quite  cold  before  it  is  applied  to  the 
work. 

Although  the  consistency  of  wax  polish  varies  con¬ 
siderably,  the  comparative  merits  of  different  degrees 
of  stiffness  or  fluidity  must  be  considered,  so  that  an 
intelligent  conception  of  the  polisher’s  aim  may  be 
arrived  at.  Suppose  a  piece  of  beeswax,  without  any 
admixture  of  turpentine,  is ,  rubbed  on  a  piece  of 
smooth,  flat  wood.  Some  of  the  wax  adheres  to  the 
surface,  which,  when  friction  is  applied,  becomes 
glossy  or  polished.  The  labor,  however,  is  consider¬ 
able,  and  though  dry  wax  may  do  on  a  flat  surface, 
when  mouldings  or  carvings  are  to  be  treated,  the  diffi¬ 
culties  in  the  way  of  satisfactory  application  are  con¬ 
siderable.  The  remedy  is  to  soften  the  wax  so  that  it 
may  be  got  into  all  parts  of  the  work.  Melted  wax 
might  do,  but  in  putting  it  on  to  the  wood  it  becomes 
cold,  and  consequently  reverts  to  its  original  stiffness. 
We  have  then  to  get  the  wax  to  a  fair  working  consist¬ 
ency  by  means  of  some  suitable  solvent,  which  turpen¬ 
tine  has  proved  to  be.  It  is  cleanly,  inexpensive,  and 
evaporates  sufficiently  quickly,  besides  mixing  well 
with  the  wax.  Some  polishers  prefer  what  others 
might  think  an  excess  of  turpentine.  When  a  stiff 
paste  is  used,  the  wax  is  apt  to  be  deposited  in  excess¬ 
ive  quantity,  necessitating  a  considerable  amount  of 
rubbing,  in  places,  to  remove  it.  A  fluid  polish  spreads 
the  wax  much  more  evenly,  but  no  gloss  can  be 
obtained  till  the  turpentine  has  disappeared,  either 
evaporated  or  been  absorbed  by  the  wood.  When  the 


98 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


polish  has  been  laid  evenly  over  the  work,  this  does 
not  take  long;  so  a  thin  mixture  may  be  considered 
preferable  to  a  very  stiff  one.  A  paste  of  about  the 
consistency  of  butter  in  hot  weather,  might  be  regarded 
as  a  medium.  Those  who  use  a  wax  polish  which 
could  be  poured  would  consider  this  stiff,  while  others 
who  add  very  little  turpentine,  or  who  believe  in  resin, 
would  consider  it  thin.  A  thick  mixture  or  a  thin  one 
may  be  used,  the  result  depending  more  on  the  manip¬ 
ulation  of  the  material  than  on  the  material  itself;  and 
this  manipulation  may  next  be  considered. 

In  the  application  of  wax  polish  there  is  almost  as 
great  a  variety  in  practice  as  in  proportion  of  ingredi¬ 
ents.  The  great  thing  is  to  have  the  wax — the  turpen¬ 
tine  is  merely  the  vehicle  for  conveying  this — evenly 
and  thinly  distributed,  and  so  long  as  this  is  done  it  is 
of  small  consequence  how  it  is  managed.  To  spread 
the  wax  with,  some  use  a  piece  of  rag,  while  others 
prefer  a  stiff  brush  specially  made  for  the  purpose,  and 
both  get  equally  good  results.  After  the  wax  has  been 
spread  the  polish  is  obtained  by  friction,  and  the  more 
you  rub  the  brighter  the  polish  will  be.  The  brush  or 
cloth  used  to  rub  the  wax  into  the  wood  should  not  be 
employed  to  give  the  finishing  touches.  In  this  final 
friction  it  is  essential  that  the  cloth  or  brush  used  be 
perfectly  dry,  as  if  it  is  at  all  damp  no  polished  surface 
can  be  produced.  The  final  polish  is  best  done  with  a 
perfectly  clean  rubber,  and  three  sets  of  cloths  or  rub¬ 
bers  may  be  used.  With  the  first  the  mixture  is  to  be 
rubbed  on  the  wood,  with  the  second  it  is  to  be  rubbed 
off  till  a  fair  amount  of  polish  is  got,  while  with  the 
third  the  rubbing  should  be  continued  till  the  surface 
is  as  bright  as  it  can  be  got. 

The  directions  which  have  been  given  should  enable 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


99 


any  one  to  wax-polish  wood  successfully.  Hard  dry 
rubbing,  with  energetic  application,  is  at  least  as  impor¬ 
tant  as  the  wax  and  turpentine;  for,  though  more  sim¬ 
ple  than  the  French  polishing  process,  it  is  more 
laborious. 

Oil  Finishing  and  Dry  Shining. — The  following  descrip¬ 
tion  of  the  methods  of  oil  polishing  and  dry  shining 
is  taken  largely  from  an  English  work  on  the  subject, 
and  may  be  depended  upon  as  being  fairly  correct  and 
up  to  date: 

The  simple  process  of  oil  polishing  must  now  receive 
attention;  and  there  is  still  something  to  admire  in  a 
comparatively  dull  oiled  surface.  The  process  simply 
consists  of  rubbing  in  linseed  oil  and  polishing  with  a 
soft  rag.  The  oiling  and  polishing  must  be  continued 
at  intervals  till  the  requisite  shine  is  obtained.  To  get 
the  best  results  takes  time  and  friction.  Oil  polishing 
is  not  difficult,  but  it  is  decidedly  fatiguing  and 
tedious.  The  more  the  surface  is  rubbed  the  better, 
and  the  process  may  be  extended  over  some  weeks. 
Patience  and  energetic  application  are  still  more  essen¬ 
tial  than  with  wax  polishing,  for  to  get  even  the  sem¬ 
blance  of  a  polish  or  gloss  within  a  week  or  two  with 
the  aid  of  oil  must  not  be  expected.  How  long  does  it 
take  to  finish  a  thing  properly  with  oil?  It  may  be 
said  the  work  is  never  finished.  An  oiled  surface  will 
always  bear  more  rubbing  than  it  has  had,  and  will  not 
be  deteriorated  by  friction;  still  from  one  to  two 
months  should  suffice  to  get  a  good  polish,  which  will 
be  durable  according  to  the  amount  of  labor  bestowed 
upon  it  during  that  time.  This  is  more  time  than  can 
be  devoted  to  the  finishing  touches  of  a  piece  of  furni¬ 
ture  generally  nowadays,  so  it  may  almost  be  consid¬ 
ered  that  oil  polishing  is  an  obsolete  process. 


100 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


Still,  it  does  not  follow  that  because  the  process  is 
too  long  to  be  remunerative  in  ordinary  work  it  should 
not  be  worthy  of  attention,  especially  as  it  has  merits 
which  recommend  it  where  speed  is  not  a  primary  con¬ 
sideration.  One  great  advantage  of  it  is  that  it  is 
much  more  durable  than  either  French  or  wax  polish; 
it  does  not  blister  by  heat  like  the  former,  nor  spoil 
with  water  to  such  an  extent  as  the  latter,  with  which 
in  general  appearance  it  may  be  compared.  It  is 
because  it  does  not  blister  by  heat  that  it  is  especially 
useful.  An  ordinary  French  polished  dining-table  top 
shows  the  damage  caused  by  hot  dishes  laid  on  it, 
unless  great  care  has  been  taken.  On  an  oil  polished 
dining-table  top  the  same  hot  dishes  might  be  placed 
almost  with  impunity;  and  it  is  chiefly  dining-table 
tops  that  have  prevented  oil  polishing  becoming  quite 
extinct.  Though  the  whole  of  a  table,  or  anything 
else,  may  be  polished  with  oil,  it  is  usual,  even  when 
the  top  is  oiled,  to  polish  the  legs  and  frame  otherwise. 

Linseed  oil  is  the  only  material  used  in  pure  oil  fin¬ 
ish,  but  other  ingredients  have  been  used,  till  it  is 
difficult  to  recognize  the  distinction  between  oil  polish¬ 
ing  and  French  polishing.  The  two  processes  may 
overlap  to  an  almost  indefinite  extent,  but  with  these 
we  have,  at  present  at  any  rate,  nothing  to  do,  and  to 
discuss  them  might  only  tend  to  confuse  the  novice. 
Authorities  differ  on  the  state  in  which  the  linseed  oil 
should  be  used,  some  recommending  boiled,  others 
raw,  and  others  various  proportions  of  the  two.  For 
ordinary  work  boiled  linseed  oil  is  perhaps  the  better, 
but  this  is  not  intended  to  imply  that  those  who  prefer 
raw  oil  are  wrong;  therefore  any  oil  polisher  who  has 
an  inclination  for  some  fancy  mixture  of  boiled  and 
raw  oils  can  use  it. 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


IOI 


The  treatment  is  very  much  the  same  as  in  wax  pol¬ 
ishing.  It  consists  in  rubbing  the  oil  well  into  the 
wood,  not  saturating  or  flooding,  but  scrubbing  it,  and 
then  rubbing  long  and  hard.  The  process  may  be 
repeated  almost  indefinitely,  daily  or  at  longer  inter¬ 
vals,  till  a  polish  which  is  deemed  sufficient  appears. 
For  example,  take  a  table  top,  rub  some  oil  well  into 
it,  and  then  polish  with  a  rubber  formed  by  wrapping 
some  baize,  felt,  or  similar  material  round  a  brick  or 
other  suitable  block,  the  purpose  of  which  is,  by  its 
weight,  to  some  extent  to  relieve  the  polisher  from 
using  his  muscles  in  applying  pressure.  The  rubbing 
should  be  continued  till  the  surface  of  the  wood  is  dry. 
The  only  perceptible  difference  in  the  top  will  be  the 
darkened  appearance  caused  by  the  oil,  as  little  or  no 
gloss  will  appear  at  first.  By  repeating  the  operation, 
however,  a  polish  will  come  up  gradually,  and  a  sur¬ 
face  which  in  the  opinion  of  many  is  superior  to  that 
of  French  polish  will  be  the  ultimate  result.  Should 
the  polish  sweat,  some  methylated  spirit  may  be 
rubbed  in.  This  will  dry  the  surface  without  spoiling 
the  polish. 

Oil  polishing  is  hardly  suitable  for  anything  but 
plain  work,  on  account  of  the  labor  required;  but  any 
piece  of  work  can  be  so  polished  if  the  necessary  time 
and  labor  be  given  to  it.  Even  when  it  is  not 
deemed  practicable  to  bring  up  a  polish  with  oil,  a 
very  pleasing  finish  may  be  given  to  a  piece  of  work  by 
merely  rubbing  it  with  oil.  The  color  is  enriched  to 
an  extent  which  perhaps  would  hardly  be  credited  by 
those  who  have  not  had  frequent  opportunities  of  see¬ 
ing  wood  in  the  white  and  again  after  being  oiled.  In 
choice  mahogany  especially  the  improvement  is  very 
marked.  Light  oak  is  also  greatly  improved  in  tone. 


102 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


Fretworkers  who  are  not  proficient  in  French  polish¬ 
ing  would  be  more  satisfied  with  the  appearance  of 
anything  they  make  if  they  simply  oiled  it  instead  of 
coating  it  with  shellac,  which  has  to  serve  for  French 
polish. 

Dry  shining  will  be  found  a  simple  process  after  the 
ordinary  methods  of  French  polishing  have  been  mas¬ 
tered.  Finishing  work  by  dry  shining  is  the  crudest 
and  simplest  way  in  which  a  gloss  can  be  got  on  the 
surface  of  wood  by  means  of  a  thin  varnish  of  shellac 
and  methylated  spirit.  It  must  not  be  mistaken  for 
varnishing,  as  this  process  is  ordinarily  understood,  for 
it  is  distinctly  a  process  of  French  polishing.  Even 
those  who  have  managed  to  do  bodying-up  and  spirit- 
ing-off,  or  even  glazing,  will  find  the  operation  of  dry 
shining  simple  in  comparison.  It  is  the  nearest 
approach  to  varnishing  by  means  of  a  rubber,  instead 
of  a  brush,  that  polishers  practice.  The  wood  is  var¬ 
nished  with  ordinary  French  polish,  applied  by  means 
of  the  polisher’s  special  appliance — the  rubber. 

Dry  shining,  unlike  glazing,  is  not  in  any  degree  a 
substitute  for  the  difficult  process  of  spiriting-off,  and 
those  who  think  to  get  a  high  degree  of  finish  on  their 
work  by  means  of  dry  shining  may  give  up  the  illu¬ 
sion.  When  a  really  good  finish  is  wanted,  French 
polishing,  as  it  is  ordinarily  understood,  should  be 
chosen,  for  there  is  no  efficient  substitute  by  which  a 
like  result  can  be  got. 

Dry  shining  can  be  used  in  any  position  where  a  high 
degree  of  finish  is  not  necessary  or  customary.  It  is 
useful  for  finishing  inside  work — such  as  the  insides  of 
boxes,  drawers,  cabinets,  and  interior  parts  generally — 
and  is  often  seen  on  the  fronts  of  drawers  and  trays 
enclosed  in  a  wardrobe.  The  chief  advantages  in  con- 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


103 


nection  with  it  are  that  it  can  be  done  expeditiously, 
and  therefore  cheaply;  that  it  sufficiently  closes  the 
grain  of  the  wood  to  prevent  dust  getting  in  and  clog¬ 
ging  it;  and  that  it  gives  a  certain  degree  of  finish 
which  wood,  left  in  the  white  or  altogether  unpolished 
does  not  possess. 

The  wood  is  bodied-in  without  any  preparatory  fill¬ 
ing,  but  otherwise  precisely  in  the  manner  as  already 
directed.  It  is  not  customary  to  take  such  precau¬ 
tions  to  get  up  a  good  body  as  there  recommended. 
A  better  description  of  the  process  is  to  say  that  the 
wood  is  wiped  over  with  the  polish  rubber;  not  much 
trouble  is  usually  taken  to  do  more  than  get  the  pre¬ 
liminary  body  worked  on.  There  is  no  reason  why  the 
first  body  should  not  be  allowed  to  sink,  and  the  article 
then  be  rebodied  if  necessary.  Much  bodying-in  would 
make  the  work  almost  as  hard  as  that  involved  in  ordi¬ 
nary  French  polishing,  so  that  ordinarily  the  bodying- 
in  dry  shining  is  done  more  quickly. 

When  the  bodying-in  has  been  done  to  the  satisfac¬ 
tion  of  the  polisher,  the  rubber  is  charged  with  French 
polish,  rather  more  fully  than  was  recommended  for 
bodying.  Instead  of  being  rubbed  all  over  the  wood 
in  any  direction,  it  is  wiped  over  in  the  direction  of 
the  grain  from  end  to  end  of  the  piece,  very  much  in 
the  manner  mentioned  in  connection  with  glazing. 
The  rubber  may  be  moved  backwards  and  forwards  till 
dry,  but  a  better  way  under  ordinary  circumstances  is 
to  let  the  polish  deposited  by  each  rub  dry  before  going 
over  the  same  place  again.  When  using  the  rubber  in 
finishing,  it  should  have  no  oil;  and  if  the  former  of 
these  two  methods  is  adopted  it  will  be  difficult  to 
prevent  the  polish  dragging,  so  the  easier  course 
should  be  adopted. 


104 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


Repolishing  and  Reviving. — Having  once  mastered 
the  fundamental  principle  of  polishing,  it  is  a  com¬ 
paratively  easy  task  to  give  to  a  plain  piece  of  wood  a 
level  and  lustrous  surface;  and,  by  the  use  of  stains 
that  can  be  bought  ready  prepared,  a  fair  imitation  of 
any  given  wood  can  be  obtained  with  but  little  labor. 
But  the  polisher  who  wishes  to  hold  his  own  against 
all  comers,  must  be  able  to  do  more  than  merely  to 
stain  and  polish  a  plain  piece  of  new  wood. 

When  dealing  with  old  work  that  requires  repolish¬ 
ing,  all  dirt,  grease,  and  furniture  paste  must  be 
removed  by  careful  washing  with  soda  and  warm 
water  and  powdered  pumice-stone  or  bath-brick.  It 
can  then  be  French  polished,  or  a  fresher  and  more 
satisfactory  appearance  may  be  given  by  applying 
one  or  two  coats  of  brown  hard  spirit  varnish — such 
as  can  be  bought  at  an  oil  and  color  merchant’s — care¬ 
fully  with  a  camel-hair  brush. 

When  varnished  work  has  to  be  dealt  with,  first  clean 
off  all  the  varnish  and  then  repolish  in  the  way 
described  in  previous  chapters,  except  that  filling  will 
probably  be  dispensed  with.  The  varnish  can 
generally  be  more  easily  removed  by  scraping  than  by 
papering.  With  care  the  varnish  can  be  washed  off 
with  soda  or  potash  and  water,  but  on  account  of  the 
liability  to  injure  the  wood  it  is  scarcely  advisable  to 
adopt  this  method. 

For  removing  polish  from  flat  surfaces,  the  steel 
scrapers  as  used  by  cabinetmakers  are  the  best  tools 
to  use.  In  turned  and  other  work  which  has  an  uneven 
surface  the  old  coating  can  nearly  all  be  got  off  by 
application  of  strong  hot  soda  water,  to  which  may  be 
added  some  oxalic  acid  in  difficult  cases.  When  a 
large  quantity  of  work  has  to  be  treated,  use  the  follow- 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


105 


ing  mixture:  x/2  lb.  potash,  y2  lb.  soft  soap,  y2  lb.  rock 
ammonia,  I  lb.  washing  soda,  3  ounces  of  nitric  acid,  I 
gallon  of  water.  Apply  with  a  fiber  or  scrubbing 
brush,  taking  care  of  the  hands.  Swill  off  with  plenty 
of  clean  water.  When  the  work  is  dry,  oil  and  fill  in; 
then  repolish. 

Spirit  varnish  can  be  removed  by  washing  with 
methylated  spirit,  which  redissolves  the  lac.  This  is 
both  a  tedious  and  somewhat  expensive  method,  which 
need  be  resorted  to  only  for  delicate  mouldings  and 
other  work  which  cannot  well  be  cleaned  by  scraping 
or  by  scouring  with  some  liquid  which,  though  it  would 
remove  the  varnish,  might  stain  and  so  spoil  the  wood. 
Alcohol,  being  neutral,  may  be  used  on  any  wood,  as  it 
will  not  affect  the  color. 

When  dealing  with  cabinets  or  other  built-up  work, 
the  process  of  repolishing  will  be  simplified  somewhat 
by  taking  apart  as  much  as  convenient.  It  is  a  good 
plan  to  unhinge  all  doors,  to  remove  all  carvings  that 
may  be  screwed  on  from  the  back,  and  to  remove  all 
knobs,  brass  fittings,  etc. — not  forgetting  to  put  some 
tallying  mark  on  each  piece  which  might  be  liable  to 
misplacement.  Thus  the  doors  can  be  better  handled 
on  the  bench,  the  corners  of  panels  can  be  worked  up 
better,  and  the  carvings  can  be  varnished  better. 
When  the  carvings  are  planted  on,  as  is  often  done,  a 
much  cleaner  job  is  made  if  these  are  first  removed; 
for  it  is  a  difficult  task  to  polish  the  open  carvings 
equal  to  the  flat  surface. 

Sometimes  polished  work  is  disfigured  by  fine  little 
lines  which  are  caused  by  cracks,  resulting  from  sweat¬ 
ing.  These  lines  become  visible  through  the  dust 
settling  on  the  exuding  oil.  This  disfigurement  can  be 
averted  almost  entirely  by  occasionally  carefully  wiping 


io6 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


with  a  soft,  damp  cloth.  Sweating  is  not  entirely  pre¬ 
ventive,  but  when  the  oil  has  ceased  to  exude,  which 
may  not  be  for  some  months,  the  work  may  be 
repolished  with  advantage. 

The  perfectly  level,  brilliant  polish  found  on  new 
German  pianos  fills  many  an  American  French-polisher 
with  envy.  Unfortunately,  this  brilliant  polish  does 
not  last  long,  and  the  majority  of  the  pianos  soon  have 
a  greasy,  cracked  appearance.  Indeed,  there  are  but 
few  of  these  pianos  with  a  polish  gained  by  the  legiti¬ 
mate  process  of  French  polishing.  This  brilliant, 
level  polish  is  gained  by  a  very  liberal  use  of  gum 
sandarac,  and  when  the  polishing  is  completed  the 
pianos  are  set  aside  in  a  clean,  hot  room,  which  has 
the  effect  of  causing  the  polish  or  gums  to  flow  to  one 
dead  level.  Some  makers  use  varnish  verv  freely, 
and,  before  passing  to  the  hot  room,  level  this  by 
means  of  pumice  powder,  tripoli,  putty  powder,  and 
sometimes  flour. 

When  the  requisite  number  of  coats  of  varnish  have 
been  laid,  the  surface  is  leveled  with  fine  glass-paper 
and  linseed  oil,  or  by  the  slower  process  of  felt  rubber 
and  pumice  powder.  After  being  wiped  perfectly 
clean,  a  rubber  made  of  soft  flannel,  or,  better  still,  of 
old  silk,  is  used  to  rub  carefully  and  lightly  in  a 
circular  direction  with  tripoli  powder  and  oil,  till  the 
surface  is  perfectly  level  and  inclined  to  be  bright;  it 
is  then  rubbed  with  dry  putty  powder  and  silk,  and 
finally  brightened  with  flour. 

The  surface  should  be  left  perfectly  free  from  any 
trace  of  the  polishing  powders;  neglect  of  this 
accounts  for  the  white  patches  sometimes  seen  on  the 
German  pianos.  These  patches  are  not  so  deep  as 
they  appear  at  first  sight,  and  may  often  be  removed 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


107 


with  flour  emery  and  linseed  oil  or  turps  without 
disturbing  the  polish. 

To  renovate  the  polish  on  these  pianos  is  difficult, 
but  when  it  is  not  very  bad,  a  reviver  made  of  equal 
parts  of  linseed  oil,  lime  water,  and  turps  is  generally 
effective.  The  lime  water  and  oil  are  first  thoroughly 
mixed;  then  the  turps  is  added,  and  the  mixture  is 
applied  by  means  of  wadding.  The  surface  is  wiped 
off  with  a  rag,  and  finished  with  a  clean,  soft  rag  swab, 
made  fairly  moist  with  methylated  spirit.  Should  any 
trace  of  grease  still  remain,  change  to  a  clean  place  of 
the  already  moist  rag,  and  sprinkle  a  few  spots  of 
glaze  on  its  face,  or,  better  still,  wipe  the  face  of  the 
glaze  rubber  over  the  face  of  the  clean  swab. 

Should  this  method  prove  ineffective  it  will  be 
necessary  to  repolish,  first  removing  the  sweat  or 
roughness  by  fine  sandpaper  and  oil,  or  by  washing 
with  weak  soda  water  and  pumice  powder.  The  polish 
used  should  be  made  with  spirit  instead  of  naphtha, 
and,  to  ensure  its  lasting  qualities,  it  should  be  bodied 
up  one  day  and  finished  the  next. 

To  darken  the  birch  frame  of  a  chair,  wipe  it  over 
with  asphaltum  dissolved  in  turpentine  (one  cent’s 
worth  in  half  a  pint  of  turps).  This  stains  without 
giving  a  painted  appearance;  should  there  be  any 
difficulty  in  obtaining  asphaltum,  Vandyke  brown  may 
be  used,  mixed  to  a  thin  paste  with  liquid  ammonia  — 
or  with  a  strong  solution  of  common  washing  soda. 
This  is  thinned  with  water,  till  of  the  required  tone, 
which  will  readily  be  found  by  trying  its  effect  on  any 
odd  piece  of  wood.  If  French  polish  cannot  be  applied, 
the  most  suitable  thing  to  use  is  brown  hard  spirit 
varnish. 

For  restoring  polish  that  has  faded  from  damp  or 


io8 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


exposure  to  the  sun,  those  stains  which  are  used  to 
stain  the  common  woods  will  not  be  suitable.  It  may¬ 
be  convenient  to  remove  only  the  upper  surface  of  the 
polish,  to  color  the  faded  portion  so  as  to  match  its 
surroundings,  and  to  repolish  the  whole.  When  the 
polish  is  not  very  bad,  it  is  generally  sufficient  to 
smooth  it  well  with  a  piece  of  worn  glass-paper. 
When  it  is  much  scratched  or  faded,  methylated  spirit 
should  be  sprinkled  upon  it,  and  the  surface  well 
rubbed  with  No.  I  sandpaper,  applied  with  a  circular 
motion;  it  will  then  be  found  that  only  the  upper 
surface  of  the  polish  will  be  removed.  Before 
repolishing,  it  is  advisable  first  to  wash  the  article  with 
water  to  which  a  little  common  washing  soda  has  been 
added.  This  will  remove  any  dirt,  furniture  paste,  etc. ; 
a  little  pumice  powder  or  powdered  bath-brick  may 
be  used  to  assist. 

After  the  necessary  cleaning  off  of  dirt,  etc.,  has 
been  accomplished,  any  bruises  must  be  removed, 
either  by  scraping  out  or  by  bringing  up  level,  by 
means  of  a  hot  iron  and  moisture,  or  by  filling  up  with 
hard  stopping,  or  by  the  still  better  method  previously 
given.  When  this  has  been  done,  and  all  defective 
parts  made  good,  the  surface  must  be  wiped  over  with 
an  oily  rag;  it  assists  the  new  polish  to  take  kindly  to 
the  old.  In  scraping  out  the  bruises,  in  cleaning  off 
level  any  new  piece,  and  in  cleaning  off  the  polish,  it 
is  probable  that  light  patches  may  be  made.  More 
especially  will  these  be  made  apparent  if  the  damaged 
portion  has  been  previously  colored  up  by  stains,  dry 
colors,  or  dyed  polish. 

For  coloring  up  or  matching,  it  is  generally  suffi¬ 
cient,  if  the  wood  in  hand  is  mahogany,  to  wipe  over 
the  damaged  portion  with  red  oil,  which  consists  of 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


109 


lb.  of  alkanet  root  steeped  in  1  pint  of  linseed  oil, 
working  up  with  red  polish.  Should  the  wood  be 
walnut,  many  a  little  blemish  and  scratch  in  soft 
resinous  varnish  may  be  matched  by  wiping  over  with 
a  solution  of  one  cent’s  worth  of  asphaltum  dissolved 
in  Yi  pint  turps.  Should  the  defect  be  a  piece  of  sap 
or  other  light  portion,  go  over  the  light  portion  several 
times  with  the  polish  rubber  to  prevent  the  grain  from 
rising,  and  then  saturate  a  small  tuft  of  wadding  with  3 
parts  of  methylated  spirits  to  1  part  of  polish;  on  this 
wadding  place  a  small  quantity  of  Vandyke  brown  or 
brown  umber,  mix  well,  and  carefully  wipe  over  the 
light  portions,  thinning  out  with  spirits  if  too  dark, 
picking  up  a  little  more  color  if  not  dark  enough, 
adding  a  little  black  if  required. 

Matching  stains  are  used  in  French  polishing  because 
light  and  dark  places  often  occur  in  the  best  selected 
woods,  and  in  stained  work,  owing  to  the  difference 
in  the  direction  of  the  grain.  To  tone  or  harmonize 
the  entire  surface  to  one  uniform  shade,  is  technically 
called  matching  or  coloring  up,  and  requires  a  little 
tact  and  a  good  eye  for  color.  On  large  flat  surfaces 
colored  polish  may  be  used  with  advantage,  but  for 
small  work  it  would  be  better  to  take  a  small  tuft  of 
wadding  and  wet  it  with  I  part  polish  to  3  parts  spirits. 
With  this  take  up  a  little  yellow  ocher  and  just  a  trace 
of  umber  or  Vandyke  brown.  Press  the  wadding  well 
on  the  back  of  a  piece  of  worn-out  glass-paper  to 
equalize,  and  mix  well.  Try  the  effect  on  an  odd 
corner  of  the  work;  if  too  dark,  thin  out  with  spirits; 
if  not  dark  enough,  pick  up  more  color,  or  wipe  over 
twice.  Having  gained  the  right  shade,  apply  lightly 
with  a  straight  or  wavy  motion  as  required.  This 
would  enable  one  to  match  the  oak,  but  any  wood  can 


no 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


be  matched  by  using  suitable  pigments,  a  red  tinge 
being  usually  given  by  the  addition  of  a  few  drops  of 
Bismarck  brown  stain.  Though  it  is  possible  to  pro¬ 
ceed  to  polish  direct,  yet  it  would  be  safer  to  set  the 
stain  by  giving  a  coat  of  thin  spirit  varnish,  and  allow 
this  to  get  quite  dry  before  polishing.  In  matching 
up  satin  walnut,  the  polisher  must  use  judgment,  for 
the  work  can  hardly  be  regarded  as  mechanical.  The 
stain  must  depend  on  the  color  or  tint  of  the  lighter 
parts,  and  of  the  darker  parts  to  which  they  are  to  be 
matched.  Generally  a  little  weak  brown  stain  will  do 
what  is  required.  When  necessary,  it  can  be  altered 
slightly  in  color  by  the  addition  of  other  pigments, 
according  to  the  tints  desired. 

In  matching,  the  wavy  appearance  of  some  woods 
may  be  given  by  a  tremulous  movement  of  the  hand, 
and  the  mottled  appearance  of  others  by  dabbing  with 
a  badger  softener  or  clean,  soft  dusting  brush  while 
the  color  is  still  wet.  Veins  either  black  or  red  may 
be  given  by  picking  up  a  little  dry  black  or  red  stain 
on  the  corner  of  the  tuft  of  wadding  and  applying  it 
carefully,  taking  some  adjacent  portion  as  a  guide  for 
pattern.  For  rosewood,  red  stain  and  dry  black  may 
be  used  in  combination;  for  birch  or  oak,  use  yellow 
ocher.  When  the  work  in  hand  is  large,  and  requires 
staining  all  over,  and  it  is  not  possible  to  gain  the 
desired  result  by  means  of  dyed  polish  applied  with 
the  rubber,  the  colors  should  be  mixed  in  a  pot  with 
3  parts  of  spirit  to  I  of  polish,  and  applied  with  a 
camel-hair  brush.  The  work  is  not  so  liable  to  get 
patchy  with  two  or  more  coats  of  weak  stain  as  with 
one  strong  one. 

After  laying  on  the  stain,  allow  a  few  minutes  to 
elajpse  for  it  to  set,  then  smooth  down  with  a  piece  of 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER  III 

worn,  fine  glass-paper,  and  give  a  coat  of  thin  brush 
polish  or  spirit  varnish.  This  will  set  the  colors  pre¬ 
vious  to  polishing,  which  can  be  proceeded  with  in 
about  ten  minutes.  Mahogany,  rosewood,  and  walnut, 
if  not  inlaid,  are  generally  improved  by  the  use  of  a 
polish  tinged  by  the  addition  of  a  little  red  stain. 
Other  colors  may  also  be  mixed  with  polish  to  be 
applied  with  the  rubber.  When  using  these  dyed 
polishes,  cease  when  just  the  right  tinge  is  attained; 
another  rubber  may  be  used  to  finish  off  with  clear 
polish. 

In  'repolishing  work,  the  foundation  having  been 
already  laid,  the  polish  is  not  required  quite  so  thick 
as  in  polishing  the.  bare  wood.  In  the  final  stage, 
when  finishing  off,  any  trace  of  greasiness  may  be 
effectually  removed  by  well  rubbing  with  a  swab  of 
the  clean,  soft  rag,  fairly  damp  (not  wet)  with  spirits,  on 
face  of  which  has  been  sprinkled  a  few  drops  of  glaze. 

Colors  in  a  dry  state  known  as  pigments,  such  as 
Venetian  red,  yellow  ocher,  vegetable  black  or  lamp¬ 
black,  umbers,  Vandyke  brown,  chromes,  orange  and 
lemon,  greens,  blues,  flake  white,  etc.,  are  useful.  By 
the  aid  of  these,  the  polisher  is  enabled  to  match 
woods  and  restore  faded  polish,  far  more  expeditiously 
than  can  be  done  by  staining  or  using  dyed  polish  or 
varnish.  Work  that  might  puzzle  the  inexperienced 
for  hours  can  be  done  in  a  few  minutes  by  a  knowledge 
of  the  use  of  dry  colors.  They  are  used  in  some  stains 
by  mixing  with  ammonia,  glue  size,  pearlash,  soda, 
and  they  are  used  to  color  the  “filling-in”  of  whiting 
and  turps  to  make  it  match  the  various  woods. 
Venetian  red  is  used  for  mahogany,  umber  for  walnut, 
black  for  ebony,  and  sometimes  to  give  an  appearance 
of  age  to  oak  by  making  the  grain  appear  dirty. 


I  12 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


Sometimes  the  polisher  has  a  job  passed  to  him  that, 

properly  speaking,  ought  to  be  done  by  the  painter. 

The  quick-drying  nature  of  the  solutions  of  shellac, 

with  which  the  polisher  is  the  better  acquainted,  obtains 

for  him  the  preference.  For  example,  shields,  etc., 

for  the  decorative  purposes  that  may  require  five 

different  colors  and  a  coat  of  varnish,  can  be  colored 

ready  for  fixing  within  twenty-four  hours.  To  do  this, 

lime  blue,  chrome  yellow,  vegetable  black,  flake  white, 

and  vermilionette  or  any  other  colors  should  be  mixed 

with  ordinary  French  polish  to  the  consistency  of 

thin  paint,  thinning  out  when  necessary  with  alcohol 

spirits.  Three  coats  of  color  can  be  laid  on,  stencil 

patterns  cut  and  painted,  borders  and  edges  lined,  and 

the  whole  finished  with  a  coat  of  white  hard  varnish 

within  twelve  hours.  To  prevent  the  white  getting  a 

yellowish  tinge,  it  is  well  to  mix  it  with  transparent 

polish  made  from  white  shellac. 

*  ...  .  * 

To  make  imitation  marble  which  wears  well,  give 

several  coats  of  flake  white  mixed  in  polish;  then  put 
in  the  veins  of  blue  or  black  with  feathers,  afterwards 
giving  a  coat  of  white  thinned  out  with  spirits.  This 
has  the  effect  of  making  the  veining  appear  beneath 
the  surface.  When  dry  it  is  finished  by  giving  a  coat 
of  good  quality  copal  varnish. 

THE  FINISHING  OF  VARIOUS  WOODS 

It  will  be  in  order  now  to  describe  how  to  finish 
some  of  the  more  popular  woods,  in  detail,  though 
enough  has  been  said  in  a  general  way  to  enable  any 
workman  to  finish  work  in  any  wood  made  use  of  for 
building  or  decorative  purposes,  but  a  few  lines 
devoted  to  some  of  our  special  woods  may  perhaps  be 
of  timely  service  to  some  owner  of  this  volume.  Oak, 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


1 13 

being  the  most  popular  and  at  the  same  time  the  most 
durable  and  the  most  used  of  our  woods,  is  deserving 
of  the  first  place. 


Finishing  Oak 

We  have  in  this  country  over  forty  kinds  of  oak 
nearly  every  one  of  which  may  be  used  for  some 
special  purpose;  those  most  used  for  building  finish 
and  for  furniture,  however,  are  only  few,  among  which 
are  the  white  oak  ( Quercus  rulia),  rock  oak  ( Quercus 
primas  murticola )  and  black  oak  ( Quercus  tindoris).  All 
of  the  above-named  oaks  are  capable  of  being  hand¬ 
somely  finished,  the  white  and  black  oaks  being  the 
best  and  the  red  being  next. 

What  is  known  as  quarter  oak  is  made  by  first  saw¬ 
ing  the  log  from  end  to  end  through  the  middle. 
Then  each  half  is  sawed  from  end  to  end  through  the 
middle,  thus  leaving  four  quarters.  Each  quarter  has 
only  three  sides,  one  side  the  bulge  part  of  the  log, 
and  the  other  two  sides  flat  and  coming  to  an  edge. 
The  boards  are  sawed  off  the  sharp  edge,  and  each 
sawing,  therefore,  throws  off  a  board  wider  than  the 
one  before  it.  Sawing  the  quarters  of  the  log  in  this 
manner,  lumber  possesses  that  beautiful  cross-grained 
figure  so  much  in  fashion  now  that  it  has  become 
somewhat  of  a  craze.  This  cross-grained  material  finds 
favor  in  the  finest  furniture  and  interior  work.  The 
wood  is  susceptible  of  the  very  finest  polish,  and  the 
cross-grain  produces  an  effect  made  by  both  nature 
and  the  saw,  that  is  quite  superior  to  the  art  of  the 
most  skillful  grainer.  To  effect  a  good  imitation  of 
antique  oak,  lampblack  or  Vandyke  brown  in  oil  is 
applied  to  the  surface  of  the  wood,  darkening  its 
natural  hue;  but  this  is  not  by  any  means  best  or  the 


H4 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


only  way,  but  answers  very  well  where  other  processes 
or  methods  are  not  available.  With  regard  to  giving 
oak  an  antique  appearance,  many  opinions  exist. 
Formerly — and  probably  the  first — imitations  of  antique 
oak  were  produced  by  exposing  the  bare  dressed  surface 
to  the  steam  of  boiling  ammonia.  This  process,  how¬ 
ever,  it  was  impossible  to  apply  to  casings  of  house 
interiors,  thus  leading  to  the  application  of  the  aqua 
ammonia  with  a  brush,  but  it  is  by  repeated  application 
that  the  desired  results  are  produced.  It  stains  the 
wood  gray.  There  are  finishers  who  claim  this  to  be 
the  only  process  by  which  to  imitate  Nature,  but 
another,  much  faster  and  one  which  gives  the  same 
results,  is  to  use  strong  vinegar  with  iron  filings  or 
shavings  added;  by  a  little  experimenting  this  can  be 
made  to  suffice  with  one  coat,  depending  upon  the 
amount  of  iron  added. 

A  very  clever  imitation  of  the  general  antique  can 
be  obtained  by  staining  the  filler  with  Vandyke  brown 
and  charcoal,  equal  parts,  using  about  I  part  of  the 
colored  to  4  parts  of  the  light.  Then  there  is  another 
antique  which  imitates  certain  oak  from  the  sixteenth 
century;  the  peculiarity  of  it  consists  in  dark  cloud 
streaks  permeating  the  wood  in  every  direction,  some 
of  them  crossing  the  panels  in  a  V-shape,  others 
straight  near  top  and  bottom.  To  give  them  an  odd 
appearance,  a  pair  of  panels  can  be  clouded  by 
streaking  one  three  or  four  times  and  the  other  once  or 
twice.  These  stripes  vary  in  width  from  three  to  five 
inches.  The  wider  streaks  look  well  across  the  top  of 
a  table  three  or  four  times,  or  even  partly  across,  while 
the  narrow  ones  would  do  well  around  the  legs  and 
across  the  styles  and  rails  of  paneled  work.  In 
putting  these  on,  they  should  be  dark  in  the  center  and 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


ns 

blend  out  at  the  edges.  This  is  done  with  an  automatic 
paint  burner,  allowing  the  flames  to  scorch  the  wood 
nearly  black;  but  care  must  be  taken  not  to  char  it. 
After  the  work  is  all  streaked,  the  wood  is  filled  with 
filler  stained  with  burnt  umber  mixed  as  for  black 
walnut. 

Care  must  be  taken  to  have  the  filler  stained  to  the 
proper  tint,  and  in  applying  correctly.  By  following 
the  rules  given  under  the  head  “Filling”  the  operator 
should  have  no  trouble  in  making  good  work,  and  we 
here  repeat  the  instruction. 

After  enough  surface  has  been  covered  with  the 
filler,  so  that  what  has  been  first  applied  begins  to 
flatten,  the  process  of  wiping  should  immediately 
begin,  using  for  that  purpose  either  a  rag  or  a  handful 
of  waste  or  excelsior.  If  the  oak  is  very  open-grained, 
waste  is  preferable.  With  a  piece  of  this  that  has 
previously  been  used  and  is  pretty  well  supplied  with 
filler,  rub  crosswise  of  the  grain,  rather  rubbing  it  into 
the  grain  than  wiping  it  off.  After  the  whole  surface 
has  been  gone  over  in  this  way,  take  a  clean  piece  of 
waste  or  rag  (never  use  excelsior  for  wiping  clean)  and 
wipe  the  surface  perfectly  clean  and  free  from  filler, 
using  a  wooden  pick,  the  point  of  which  has  been 
covered  with  a  rag  or  waste,  to  clean  out  the  corners, 
beads,  etc.  It  is  well  to  give  these  picks  some  atten¬ 
tion,  as  a  person  once  accustomed  to  certain  tools  can 
accomplish  more  and  better  work  than  with  tools  that 
feel  strange  in  his  hands;  therefore,  each  finisher 
should  furnish  his  own  pick.  As  to  their  construction, 
those  are  best  made  from  second-growth  hickory, 
which  can  be  procured  from  any  carriage  repair  shop, 
such  as  old  spokes,  broken  felloes,  etc.  They  are 
made  eight  inches  in  length,  half  inch  oval  at  one  end 


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1 16 

and  tapering  down  to  the  point  at  the  other.  Sharpen 
the  oval  end  like  a  coal  chisel,  then  smooth  with 
sandpaper,  which  should  also  be  used  to  sharpen  the 
tool  when  the  same  becomes  worn  dull. 

This  picking  out  of  the  filler  from  beads,  etc.,  can 
be  accelerated  by  the  use  of  a  picking  brush  manu¬ 
factured  especially  for  that  purpose,  but  it  is  not 
advisable  to  use  this  on  very  coarse-grained  oak,  as  it 
scrubs  the  filler  out  of  the  pores. 

Oak  may  be  fumigated  by  liquid  ammonia,  strength 
88o°,  which  may  be  bought  at  any  wholesale  chemist’s 
at  $1.50  a  gallon.  The  wood  should  be  placed  in  a  dark 
and  airtight  room  (in  a  big  packing  case,  if  you  like!), 
and  half  a  pint  or  so  of  ammonia  poured  into  a  soup 
plate,  and  placed  upon  the  ground  in  the  center  of  the 
compartment.  This  done,  shut  the  entrance,  and 
secure  any  cracks,  if  any,  by  pasted  slips  of  paper. 
Remember  that  the  ammonia  does  not  touch  the  oak, 
but  the  gas  that  comes  from  it  acts  in  a  wondrous 
manner  upon  the  tannic  acid  in  that  wood,  and  browns 
it  so  deeply  that  a  shaving  or  two  may  actually  be 
taken  off  without  removing  the  color.  The  depth  of 
shade  will  entirely  depend  upon  the  quantity  of 
ammonia  used  and  the  time  the  wood  is  exposed.  Try 
an  odd  bit  first  experimentally,  and  then  use  your  own 
judgment. 

Short  pieces  of  stuff  may  be  so  treated  by  using  an 
airtight  box.  The  box  ready,  a  flat  dish  or  plate  of 
strong  ammonia  should  be  placed  in  the  bottom,  so 
that  the  fumes  will  rise  and  surround  the  object.  All 
that  is  now  necessary  is  to  place  the  article  in  the 
box,  nailing  up  as  close  as  possible,  and  await  results 
Ten  hours’exposure,  using  strong  ammonia,  should  give 
a  good  color;  if  not  dark  enough  let  it  remain  longer, 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


ii/ 


bearing  in  mind,  however,  that  the  wood  will  present 
no  noticeable  change  until  oiled  or  brought  in  contact 
with  a  wet  substance  such  as  shellac.  It  is  well,  there¬ 
fore,  to  note  the  progress  by  touching  the  wood  with 
the  wet  finger,  when  it  will  show  at  once  the  stage  it 
has  reached. 

There  could  be  no  better  method  devised  to  stain 
oak  than  this,  when  practicable,  and  in  adopting  it  we 
simply  anticipate  nature,  which,  in  time,  through  the 
action  of  the  ammonia  of  the  atmosphere,  would 
present  the  same  result.  Mahogany  may  also  be 
treated  similarly  with  success. 

Here  is  another  method  of  making  antique  oak,  and 
it  might  be  added  that  white,  and  black  ash,  and 
chestnut,  similarly  treated,  will  give  a  fair  imitation  of 
antique  oak.  The  job  should  be  made  of  hardwood, 
with  as  full  an  open  grain  as  possible  to  secure  a  fine 
effect.  Sandpaper  this  and  clean  off.  Then  prepare  a 
priming  made  of  I  part  japan,  i  part  raw  linseed  oil 
and  i  part  rubbing  varnish.  Drop  into  gal.  of  the 
liquid  i  lb.  of  commercial  corn  starch,  such  as  is  used 
for  culinary  purposes.  Next  take  some  good,  dry, 
burnt  Turkish  umber,  and  add  about  y  lb.  of  this  to 
the  starch.  Apply  to  the  job  a  good  flowing  coat  of 
this  priming.  Let  stand  until  it  is  set  and  has  soaked 
well  into  the  grain,  and  then  take  a  broad  putty  knife 
and  stick  it  into  the  grain,  working  the  knife  cross¬ 
wise  of  the  grain.  Again  let  stand  a  little  while,  and 
then  wipe  with  rags;  especially  clean  out  all  the 
corners,  and  get  the  job  into  as  good  condition  as 
possible  as  regards  having  the  grain  well  filled. 

Upon  the  completion  of  the  operation  above 
described  it  will  be  found  that  the  open  grain  has 
absorbed  the  starch  and  umber,  and  that  these 


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1 1 8 

portions  now  show  the  dark  shade  suggestive  of  age, 
while  all  the  rest  of  the  surface  is  also  slightly 
darkened. 

When  again  perfectly  dry,  give  one  coat  of  rubbing 
varnish,  prepared  by  adding  to  it  x/2  lb.  of  starch  to 
each  gallon  of  varnish.  This  coat  should  be  flowed  on 
freely  as  a  medium  coat  of  rubbing  varnish,  but  be 
careful  not  to  have  runs  of  sags.  This  ought  to  com¬ 
pletely  fill  the  wood,  after  which  proceed  to  varnish, 
rub  and  finish  the  job  in  the  usual  manner.  To  pro¬ 
duce  a  natural  oak  finish,  follow  precisely  the  same 
course  as  above  described,  with  the  single  exception 
of  omitting  the  umber.  This  will  leave  the  wood  in  its 
natural  color. 

Some  of  the  most  attractive  work  in  this  line,  how¬ 
ever,  is  effected  by  simply  spreading  on  the  surface  of 
the  material  a  concentrated  solution  of  permanganate 
of  potash,  this  being  allowed  to  act  until  the  desired 
shade  is  obtained.  Five  minutes  suffice  ordinarily  to 
give  a  good  color,  a  few  trials  indicating  the  proper 
proportions.  The  substance  named  is  decomposed  by 
the  vegetable  fiber,  with  the  precipitation  of  brown 
peroxide  of  manganese,  which  the  influence  of  the 
potash,  at  the  same  time  set  free,  fixes  in  a  durable 
manner  on  the  fibers.  When  the  action  is  terminated, 
the  wood  is  carefully  washed  with  water,  dried,  then 
oiled  and  polished  in  the  usual  manner.  The  effect 
produced  by  this  process  in  several  woods  is  really 
remarkable.  On  the  cherry  especially  it  develops  a 
beautiful  red  color  which  well  resists  the  action  of  air 
and  light,  and  on  the  other  woods  it  has  a  very  pleasing 
and  natural  effect. 

Along  with  the  foregoing  may  be  added  the  follow¬ 
ing  stains  for  oak:  add  to  a  quart  of  water  2  ounces 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


ng 

each  of  potash  and  pearlash.  This  is  a  very  good 
stain,  but  it  should  be  used  carefully,  as  it  blisters  the 
hands  and  softens  brushes.  The  stain  may  be  made 
lighter  by  adding  more  water. 

To  Darken  Oak.— To  darken  the  color  of  oak,  any  of 
the  following  may  be  used: 

Liquid  ammonia  laid  on  evenly  with  a  rag  or  brush 
will  deepen  the  color  immediately,  and  it  will  not  fade, 
this  being  an  artificial  production  of  result  produced 
naturally  by  age. 

Bichromate  of  potash,  dissolved  in  cold  water,  and 
applied  with  a  brush,  will  produce  a  similar  result. 

A  decoction  of  green  walnut-shell  will  bring  new  oak 
to  any  shade  or  nearly  black. 

Another.-— Two  quarts  of  boiled  oil;  lb.  of  ground 
umber,  mixed  in  oil  by  colorman;  I  pint  of  liquid 
driers,  stirred  in;  I  pint  of  turpentine;  mix.  After 
cleaning  and  planing  your  boards,  lay  this  on  with  the 
grain  of  the  wood.  If  required  lighter,  add  naphtha 
till  the  required  shade  is  attained;  it  darkens  with  age. 
Give  it  twelve  hours  to  dry;  then  varnish  with  wood 
varnish,  or  use  only  beeswax  and  turpentine.  The 
result  is  good  in  time,  but  slower  than  varnish. 

Oak  can  be  fumigated,  by  making  a  tent  of  some 
cheap  oil  cloth,  which  may  be  rigged  up  over  a  rough 
wooden  frame.  Of  course,  the  tent  must  be  made 
pretty  tight.  Don’t  let  the  frame  touch  the  work,  and 
when  complete,  cut  a  small  piece  that  you  can  lift  up 
and  use  as  a  peep  hole.  Then  get  a  saucer  full  of 
liquid  ammonia  and  place  inside  the  tent — anywhere 
on  the  floor  will  do.  Close  the  tent  and  await  results. 
The  more  ammonia  used  the  darker  it  gets,  so  you 
must  use  your  peep  hole  and  suit  yourself.  If  you 
wish  to  polish  it,  give  it  a  coat  of  beeswax  and  turpen- 


120 


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tine,  let  dry,  and  then  brush  or  rub  it  well.  For  a  dull 
polish,  give  it  a  coat  of  raw  linseed  oil,  dry  well,  ana 
then  brush  up.  By  “fumigation”  you  always  get  a 
good  even  tone;  but,  failing  this,  you  can  stain  the 
work,  and  by  simple  means.  Buy  a  little  per¬ 
manganate  of  potash  at  the  chemist’s,  dissolve  in 
water,  and  put  on  with  a  brush;  when  dry,  give  another 
coat  if  not  dark  enough.  Another  method  is  to  get  y2 
lb.  of  black  japan  and  dissolve  in  y2  pint  of  turpen¬ 
tine,  and  apply  as  before,  or  you  can  buy  the  stain 
ready-made;  and  the  walnut  water  stain — not  varnish 
stain — is  a  good  one  to  make  a  dark  brown  oak  color. 
If  you  find  the  stain  brings  up  the  grain — i.e.,  makes 
the  wood  rough — rub  it  down  with  fine  sandpaper  and 
stain  again,  but  rub  off  fairly  dry.  All  these  are 
simple  methods,  which  you  could  easily  acquire. 

Styles  of  Oak  Finish. — As  oak  in  its  many  and  varied 
finishes  is  so  very  fashionable  just  now,  an  explanation 
of  the  effects  of  the  several  stains  may  be  of  interest, 
as  so  many  of  them  are  so  closely  allied  as  to  confuse 
the  uninitiated.  Bog  oak  is  a  thin  stain  of  medium 
color,  giving  quarter-sawed  oak  a  slight  tinge  of  green. 
It  is  about  the  same  density  as  weathered  oak,  but  of 
a  green  tone  instead  of  brown,  like  weathered  oak. 
Weathered  oak  is  of  a  brown  tone  in  close  imitation  of 
the  rich  old  hue  taken  on  by  oak  through  time  or  from 
exposure  to  the  weather.  Antwerp  oak  is  also  brown, 
but  of  a  deeper  shade,  producing  an  attractive  antique 
effect.  Black  Flemish  is  a  much-admired  finish, 
especially  when  it  is  desired  to  produce  an  effect  of 
great  weight.  It  gives  a  piece  of  furniture  a  sub¬ 
stantial  appearance.  Its  black  tone  combines 
admirably  with  red  wall  covering  and  hangings. 
Brown  Flemish  is  not  unlike  Antwerp,  but  of  a  muck 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


121 


stronger  brown  tone.  This  is  one  of  the  most  popu.ar 
stains  of  the  hour.  It  is  quite  permanent  and  produces 
a  very  artistic  effect.  The  so-called  gun-metal  finish 
for  oak  is  not  unlike  black  Flemish,  but  gives  a  tinge 
of  blue  instead  of  deep  black.  Malachite,  although 
light  green,  is  not  too  intrusive.  This  is  affected  by 
many  people  of  good  taste  and  is  quite  popular, 
especially  for  staining  ash.  Tyrolean  oak  is  as  dark  as 
black  Flemish  or  bog  oak,  and  is  of  a  green  tinge, 
instead  of  the  blue  of  the  gun-metal  finish. 

Golden  Oak  is  very  fashionable,  being  a  brownish 
color  with  a  sort  of  golden  glow  tint;  it  may  be 
obtained  as  follows:  Golden  oak  finish  is  not  produced 
by  the  filler  alone;  in  fact,  the  filler  has  very  little  to 
do  with  the  result.  The  wood  must  be  stained  before 
it  is  filled,  and,  of  course,  the  filler  must  be  so  colored 
or  stained  as  not  to  mar  or  dull  the  effect.  A  mixture 
of  gold  size  japan  and  genuine  asphaltum  varnish  in 
about  equal  parts,  thinned  with  turpentine,  makes  a 
good  stain  that  will  not  raise  the  grain  of  the  wood, 
dries  quickly  and  hard,  and,  if  wiped  out  properly, 
gives  under  varnish  a  rich  effect,  termed  “golden,”  for 
want  of  another  appropriate  name. 

To  make  a  filler,  mix  one-third  each  of  raw  linseed 
oil,  japan  gold  size  and  turpentine,  and  put  into  this 
mixture  enough  finely  powdered  silica  or  silex  to  make 
a  stiff  paste,  and  color  this  with  burnt  umber  in  oil, 
Vandyke  brown  in  oil  and  a  trifle  of  drop  black  to  suit, 
being  mindful  that  in  golden  oak  only  the  high  lights 
are  yellowish  brown,  while  the  filled  grain  is  decidedly 
dark.  The  mixture  should  be  run  through  a  handmill. 
The  best  plan  for  you  is  to  buy  your  golden  oak  paste 
filler,  or  at  least  buy  the  light  paste  filler  and  color  it 
to  suit  your  taste;  for  you  cannot  buy  the  raw  material 


122 


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as  cheap  as  the  manufacturer,  and  making  it  in  a  small 
way  will  cost  you  more  in  the  long  run. 

Another  method,  if  the  work  is  new,  is  as  follows: 
Fuming  is  only  possible  when  the  articles  are  new  and 
free  from  varnish,  polish,  glue,  or  marks  of  handling. 
The  process  consists  of  enclosing  the  articles — from 
which  the  glass  and  all  brass  fittings  are  removed — in 
an  airtight  room  or  box,  on  the  floor  or  bottom  of 
which  are  placed  a  number  of  shallow  dishes  contain¬ 
ing  strong  liquid  ammonia.  The  depth  of  color 
depends  on  the  length  of  exposure,  which  may  vary 
from  twelve  to  thirty-six  hours.  Where  this  process 
is  not  practicable,  the  next  best  method  is  staining. 
The  stain  must  be  weak,  the  exact  color  required  being 
afterwards  obtained  by  the  use  of  a  polish  made  from 
orange  shellac  and  a  trace  of  color  in  the  varnish.  A 
suitable  stain  may  be  made  by  dissolving  ]/2  oz.  of 
bichromate  of  potash  in  I y2  pt.  of  water.  To  prevent 
the  work  coming  up  rough  on  the  application  of  the 
water  stain,  the  work  should  be  first  wiped  over  with 
raw  linseed  oil.  The  stain  must  be  liberally  applied, 
and  rubbed  well  in  with  a  rag,  finishing  off  always  in  the 
direction  of  the  grain.  Before  starting  on  the  work, 
experiment  on  odd  pieces  of  similar  wood. 

Flemish  Oak. — To  make  a  stain  for  Flemish  oak, 
y2  lb.  of  bichromate  of  potash,  dissolved  in  I  gal.  of 
water.  Coat  woodwork.  When  dry,  sandpaper  down 
smooth;  then  coat  with  best  drop  black,  ground  in 
japan,  thinned  with  turpentine.  Let  stand  five  minutes 
and  wipe  off  clean,  then  coat  with  pure  grain  shellac 
and  sandpaper  with  No.  o  sandpaper;  then  coat  with 
beeswax,  i  lb.  to  a  gallon  of  turpentine,  y  lb.  of  drop 
black  mixed  in  the  wax,  then  wipe  off  clean  with 
-cheese  cloth, 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


123 


Weathered  Oak. — Give  woodwork  one  coat  of  strong 
ammonia.  When  dry,  sandpaper  down  smooth  and 
stain  it  from  the  following  colors:  lampblack,  ochei 
and  2  lbs.  of  silica  to  a  gallon  of  stain.  Wipe  off 
with  cheese  cloth,  then  give  one  coat  of  pure  grain 
shellac,  then  sandpaper  and  give  one  coat  of  wax  and 
wipe  off  clean.  If  you  should  desire  a  brownish  shade, 
put  I  oz.  of  bichromate  of  potash  and  ammonia,  or  if  a 
greenish  shade,  put  some  green  and  stain. 

Verde,  or  Green  Finish. — One  ounce  of  nigrocene 
dissolved  in  y2  gal.  of  water.  Give  woodwork  one 
coat;  when  dry,  sandpaper,  care  to  be  taken  not  to  rub 
off  edges;  then  fill  with  a  bright  green  filler,  with  some 
white  lead  in  the  filler.  When  thoroughly  dry,  give 
one  coat  of  pure  grain  shellac  and  then  wax,  or  it  could 
be  finished  with  three  coats  of  varnish  and  rubbed. 
This  finish  leaves  the  pores  of  bright  green  color, 
while  the  rest  of  the  wood  is  almost  black. 

Black  Oak. — One  ounce  of  nigrocene  to  y2  gal.  of 
water.  Give  woodwork  one  coat,  then  fill  with  a  black 
filler,  then  one  coat  of  shellac  and  three  coats  of 
varnish  rubbed  with  pumice-stone  and  water,  then  oil 
and  wipe  off  clean. 

Austrian  Oak.—  Fill  with  a  light  antique  filler, 
colored  with  raw  umber.  Give  two  very  thin  coats  of 
shellac,  colored  with  nigrocene  and  yellow  to  the 
desired  shade,  then  sandpaper  down  and  wax  and  wipe 
off  clean. 

Red  Oak  is  a  difficult  wood  to  stain  or  fumigate,  but 
it  may  be  done  as  follows:  Make  a  stain  by  mixing 
ground  dry  Dutch  pink  (this  color  is  yellow)  and  a 
little  dry  drop  black,  with  beer,  and  apply  with  a  hog’s 
hair  brush.  Try  the  stain  on  a  piece  of  red  oak,  and 
get  the  exact  shade  if  possible,  taking  care  that  you 


124 


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do  not  stain  quite  as  dark  as  the  fumigated  parts. 
When  dry,  oil  with  linseed  oil,  and  make  a  weak 
stain,  using  the  same  colors,  mixed  with  alcohol,  with 
enough  button  polish  to  bind  the  color.  Lay  on 
carefully  with  a  camel-hair  brush.  It  is  better  to  give 
two  coats  of  weak  stain,  as  the  result  will  be  a  more 
even  color.  When  dry,  wax  polished  this  will  make  a 
good  job. 

Oak  Staining  Generally. — There  is  no  wood  which 
may  be  treated  in  so  many  different  ways  as  oak.  It 
may  be  left  in  its  natural  state,  or  it  may  be  oiled,  or 
wax  polished,  or  French  polished  in  its  natural  color. 
It  can  be  stained  and  waxed,  stained  and  French 
polished  in  a  variety  of  colors  or  tints,  with  the  grain 
opened  or  filled,  and  it  can  also  be  fumigated.  For  bed¬ 
room  furniture,  if  the  wood  is  carefully  selected,  a 
very  pleasing  effect  is  obtained  by  waxing  or  French 
polishing  it  in  its  natural  color,  or  slightly  stained  and 
polished  with  the  grain  open  or  filled,  according  to 
taste.  Dining-room  or  library  finish  is  generally 
stained  a  medium  color  or  fumigated.  All  furniture 
is  frequently  stained  very  dark,  and  polished  with  the 
grain  open. 

If  it  is  desired  that  the  work  should  be  finished  in  its 
natural  color,  fill  in  with  Russian  tallow  and  plaster  of 
Paris,  and  polish  with  white  polish.  If  it  is  required 
to  be  slightly  tinted,  stain  the  filler  with  yellow  ocher 
and  polish  with  button  polish.  For  staining,  the  best 
stains  to  use  are  the  powdered  water  stains,  and  some 
very  effective  tints  may  be  obtained  by  carefully 
mixing  green  and  brown  stains  together;  apply  the 
stain  with  a  hog’s  hair  brush,  and  if  the  grain  should 
rise  quickly,  rub  down  with  ll/2  glass-paper  before 
laying  off  the  stain.  When  the  stain  is  dry,  oil  with 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


125 


linseed  oil,  then  give  a  coat  of  polish  to  fix  the  stain. 
It  may  then  be  polished  with  the  grain  open,  and 
finished  with  a  wet  rubber,  using  no  spirits.  If  a  level 
surface  is  required,  it  must  be  carefully  filled  in,  and 
not  unduly  hurried  in  the  polishing.  The  latter 
applies  to  oak  generally,  as  the  wood  is  coarse,  and 
consequently  sinks  a  great  deal. 

A  good  dark  oak  stain  may  be  made  as  follows: 
Dissolve  1  oz.  of  bichromate  of  potash  in  pint  of 
water,  and  1  oz.  of  potash  in  pint  of  water.  When 
each  are  separately  dissolved,  mix  together,  and  add 
dry  powdered  Vandyke  brown.  If  a  very  dark  color  is 
required,  add  also  a  little  powdered  drop  black;  apply 
with  a  hog’s  hair  brush,  and  polish  as  before  stated. 
As  sometimes  the  American  potash  varies  in  strength, 
the  hair  of  the  brush  will  curl  up  if  it  is  too  strong.  If 
this  occurs,  add  a  little  more  water.  •  Oak  carvings 
give  a  much  nicer  appearance  always  if  the  grain  is 
left  open,  even  when  the  other  parts  are  filled  up.  If 
they  are  stained,  oil  and  afterwards  give  a  coat  of 
polish  to  fix  the  stain.  When  this  is  dry,  brush  well 
with  a  stiff-haired  brush  and  rub  with  a  dry  cloth.  It 
is  sometimes  advisable  to  oil  oak  before  it  is  stained, 
as  it  often  prevents  the  grain  rising.  The  only  dis¬ 
advantage  is  that  a  little  extra  labor  is  required  to 
make  the  stain  bite. 

Fumigated  Oak. — The  best  kinds  of  oak  for  fumigating 
are  the  English  wainscot,  or  Baltic.  The  red  Ameri¬ 
can  oak  does  not  fumigate  well.  The  advantages  of 
fumigating  are  that  a  more  natural  color  is  obtained 
than  by  staining.  The  wood  is  not  made  rough  by 
the  operation,  and  there  is  also  a  great  saving  in 
labor.  The  best  method  of  fumigating  is  to  construct 
an  airtight  chamber,  lined  with  wood,  and  the  joints 


126 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


of  the  wood  made  airtight  by  pasting  paper  over  them. 
If  the  chamber  is  of  the  following  dimensions  it  will 
be  found  large  enough  for  most  purposes:  length,  9  ft.; 
width,  4  ft.;  height,  6  ft.  Portable  inner  frames  may 
be  made  with  shutters,  so  that  the  size  of  the  chamber 
may  be  made  smaller  if  necessary.  The  door  should 
have  glass  panels;  this  will  permit  of  the  work  being 
watched,  and  when  the  wood  has  become  dark  enough, 
the  door  should  be  opened.  Articles  to  be  fumigated 
should  have  all  brass  work  removed;  then  place  in  the 
chamber  in  such  a  position  as  to  allow  a  free  passage 
for  the  fumes  to  get  at  all  parts  of  the  wood.  Then 
place  half  a  dozen  saucers  (flower-pot  saucers  will 
answer  for  this  purpose)  on  the  floor  at  equal  distances, 
and  pour  into  each  saucer  ^  lb.  of  spirits  of  ammonia, 
strength  of  the  ammonia  to  be  88o°,  then  paper  over 
the  joints  round  the  door.  The  wood  will  darken 
much  quicker  in  hot  weather.  If  a  very  dark  color  is 
required,  it  may  be  necessary  to  recharge  the  chamber 
after  twenty-four  hours,  but  a  good  color  is  generally 
obtained  in  about  five  hours.  It  should  be  noted  that 
the  work  always  becomes  lighter  after  it  is  taken  out 
of  the  fumigating  chamber.  Consequently,  the  work 
must  be  proceeded  with  directly  it  is  taken  out.  If 
any  parts  are  too  dark,  do  not  oil  them;  all  other 
parts  should  be  at  once  oiled,  and  given  a  coat  of 
polish.  When  dry,  paper  well  with  No.  1  glass-paper, 
and  wax  polish  or  French  polish  with  the  grain  open, 
as  in  the  case  of  stained  dark  oak.  Small  articles 
may  be  fumigated  by  making  a  box  airtight,  and 
placing  a  piece  of  felt  upon  a  level  floor;  stand  the 
articles  to  be  fumigated  on  the  felt,  and  fill  one 
saucer  with  lb.  spirits  of  ammonia.  Then  cover 
the  whole  with  the  box,  and  place  a  weight  on  the  top 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


127 


of  the  box;  this  will  prevent  the  fumes  from  escaping. 
It  may  be  raised  occasionally  to  see  how  the  work  is 
proceeding.  This  plan  will  answer  better  than  if  there 
is  a  lid  to  the  box,  as  the  fumes  will  not  escape  so 
much  in  this  way. 

Great  care  must  be  taken  when  using  the  ammonia, 
and  the  operator  must  particularly  avoid  inhaling  the 
fumes.  A  good  rule  when  charging  a  large  chamber 
for  fumigating  is  to  have  some  one  at  hand  in  case  of 
any  accident,  such  as  the  breakage  of  the  vessel  con¬ 
taining  the  ammonia.  Before  the  work  is  taken  out  of 
the  chamber  the  fumes  must  be  allowed  to  pass  off  by 
opening  the  door  for  a  few  minutes  before  entering. 
If  this  rule  is  carried  out,  no  possible  harm  can 
happen. 

Pollard  oak  is  best  treated  by  first  oiling  it,  and  then 
applying  a  coat  of  button  polish.  When  the  polish  is 
dry,  it  must  be  rubbed  down  with  No.  1  glass-paper 
and  waxed  or  French  polished.  As  sometimes  pollard 
oak  has  very  large  cracks  on  the  surface,  these  must 
be  well  stopped  with  wax  stopping,  which  must  be 
stained  to  match  the  wood.  Before  proceeding  to  wax 
or  French  polish,  if  the  joints  do  not  match  in  color,  a 
little  polish  stain  may  be  applied  with  a  camel-hair 
pencil  before  it  is  polished. 

For  Removing  Polish  and  Restaining  Oak. — Saturate 
table  with  alcohol,  keep  it  wet  with  it,  and  whilst  wet 
scrape  off  polish  which  will  have  become  softened.  If 
legs  are  turned,  or  on  shaped  edges,  etc.,  where 
scraper  cannot  be  used,  coarse  sandpaper  (Middle  2) 
will  remove  polish.  Use  .plenty  of  spirit  and  sand¬ 
paper  all  over,  and  take  care  all  polish  is  removed.  It 
can  be  done  in  same  way  with  potash — a  slower  proc¬ 
ess,  and  the  potash  will  also  burn  anything  it  touches, 


128  THE  UP-TO-DATE 

but  will  stain  the  wood  at  the  same  time.  When  al! 
polish  is  removed,  the  table  can  be  stained  dark  with 
walnut  water  stain.  When  wood  is  well  stained  in 
pores,  wipe  off  with  cloth  and  let  dry;  if  not  dark 
enough,  give  another  coat.  Another  stain  is  made 
with  turps  and  black  japan,  well  mixed.  A  little 
Prussian  blue  powder  will  make  either  stain  a  greeny 
brown.  For  polishing,  rub  in  raw  linseed  oil;  let  dry, 
and  rub  again ;  or  for  wax  polish,  melt  beeswax  on  slow 
heat  in  a  galley  pot;  add  turpentine,  about  a  third 
part;  let  cool.  Wax  should  be  soft  as  paste;  if  sticky, 
add  turps;  rub  well  into  wood.  Let  dry  and  rub  again 
for  polish.  Stain  must  be  quite  dry  before  oil  or  wax 
is  put  on. 

To  Finish  Cherry 

Cherry  ( Primus  cerasus). — This  is  a  fine-grained 
wood,  tough  and  light;  is  capable  of  taking  the  very 
finest  finish.  Is  harder  than  baywood,  and  is  a  nearer 
approach  in  color,  grain  and  texture,  to  mahogany 
than  any  other  native  wood. 

One  of  the  best  methods  for  making  cherry  look  like 
mahogany  is  to  have  the  wood  rubbed  with  diluted 
nitric  acid,  which  prepares  it  for  the  materials  sub¬ 
sequently  applied.  Afterwards  to  a  filtered  mixture 
of  oz.  of  dragons’  blood  dissolved  in  a  pint  of 
spirits  of  wine  is  aded  one-third  that  quantity  of 
carbonate  of  soda.  The  whole,  constituting  a  very  thin 
liquid,  is  brushed  with  a  soft  brush  over  the  wood. 
This  process  is  repeated  with  very  little  alteration, 
and  in  a  short  interval  of  time  the  wood  assumes  the 
external  appearance  of  mahogany.  If  the  composition 
has  been  properly  made  the  surface  will  resemble  an 
artificial  mirror,  and  should  this  brilliancy  ever  decline 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


12Q 

it  may  be  restored  by  rubbing  the  surface  with  a  little 
cold  drawn  linseed  oil. 

When  cherry  is  nicely  filled  and  rubbed  well  down 
and  not  varnished,  it  has  a  soft  glow  not  possessed  by 
any  other,  and  has  none  of  those  distortions  of  grain 
that  are  so  unpleasant  in  mahogany.  The  timber  is" 
chosen  from  the  wild  cherry,  which  in  New  England 
and  the  North  generally  does  not  usually  grow  to  a 
girth  of  more  than  20  inches,  but  in  some  of  the 
Western  States  and  in  the  South  frequently  attains  a 
diameter  of  24  inches.  The  domestic  fruit  cherry 
gives  some  good  specimens  of  small  timber,  but  as  the 
tree  is  rarely  sacrificed  until  it  is  past  bearing  and  is 
decayed,  this  source  of  supply  is  precarious.  The 
facility  with  which  cherry  can  be  worked  makes  it  a 
favorite  with  the  cabinetmaker  and  the  house-joiner; 
and  it  also  possesses  the  quality  of  “staying  where  it 
is  put,”  and  that  is  more  than  can  be  said  of  many  of 
the  hardwoods. 

I  give  below  several  stains  for  making  pine  and 
other  suitable  woods  to  have  an  appearance  of 
cherry. 

1.  To  prepare  this  color  in  water  stain,  boil  in  a 
gallon  of  water  1  lb.  of  Spanish  annotto  and  1  oz.  of 
concentrated  lye  (potash).  Should  this  not  be  deep 
enough,  allow  the  water  to  evaporate  by  a  gentle  heat. 
The  stain  can  also  be  darkened  by  adding  gamboge 
previously  dissolved  in  a  weak  potash  solution. 

2.  Gamboge  in  oil,  diluted  with  turpentine,  and  a 
little  japan  added  as  a  siccative.  This  produces  the 
same  color  in  oil  as  the  former  in  water  stain,  and  can 
be  deepened  with  dragons’  blood  in  oil  or  finely 
ground  burnt  sienna  in  oil. 

3.  Mix  together,  by  stirring,  I  qt.  of  spirits  of 


130 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


turpentine,  I  pt.  of  varnish,  and  I  lb.  of  dry  burnt 
sienna;  apply  with  a  brush  and  after  it  has  been  on 
about  five  minutes  wipe  it  off  with  rags.  This  stain 
takes  about  twelve  hours  to  dry. 

4.  Take  1  qt.  alcohol,  2  oz.  of  dragons’  blood; 
pulverize  the  latter  along  with  kt  oz-  of  alkanet  root; 
mix  and  let  stand  in  a  warm  place  a  couple  of  days. 
Shake  frequently  in  the  meantime.  Apply  with  a 
sponge  or  brush.  Two  or  three  coats  may  be  required. 
This  makes  a  fine  stain. 

To  finish  cherry,  the  first  and  a  very  important 
thing  to  do  is  to  give  the  wood  a  thorough  sandpaper¬ 
ing,  to  remove  finger  and  other  marks,  and  make  a 
perfect  surface  to  receive  the  stain.  Next  comes  the 
dusting  off  of  the  work,  which  also  should  be  carefully 
done,  as  specks  of  dust  or  dirt  will  cause  bad  work. 
Stain  should  be  put  on  with  a  four-inch  oval  brush,  one 
set  with  cement.  Apply  the  stain  freely,  but  do  not 
work  it  too  much,  as  this  would  cause  it  to  froth, 
forming  specks.  Have  the  stain  in  a  wooden,  earthen 
or  enameled  vessel,  as  metal  will  often  alter  the  color 
of  the  stain.  Avoid  laps  when  staining;  do  a  section 
at  a  time.  But  should  a  lap  be  unavoidable,  then  take 
a  sponge,  wet  with  clear  water,  and  wet  that  part  of 
the  work  already  done  and  adjoining  that  which  is  to 
be  done,  and  then  at  once  apply  the  stain.  Have  a 
bucket  of  water  and  a  sponge  ready  at  hand.  Any 
part  of  the  work  taking  too  dark  may  be  toned  down 
by  means  of  the  wet  or  damp  sponge,  causing  it  to 
match  the  other  and  lighter  work.  Allow  the  stain  to 
dry  thoroughly,  after  which  it  is  ready  for  sandpaper¬ 
ing  with  000  paper.  Next  give  a  coat  of  shellac. 
Finish  with  two  coats  of  varnish,  or  with  three  coats 
for  extra  fine  finish.  Rub  with  pumice-stone  and 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


131 

water,  polish  with  rotten  stone  and  water,  and  clean 
up  with  furniture  polish. 

Oil  stains  were  formerly  used,  but  aniline  stains  give 
much  better  color  effects.  Aniline  stains  may  be 
bought  ready  prepared. 

When  sandpapering  cherry  be  sure  that  you  do  not 
cut  through,  as  it  would  show  up  white.  Cutting 
through  is  liable  to  occur  about  mouldings,  edges,  etc. 
Use  old,  worn  sandpaper  there;  for  the  more  sunken  - 
parts  redampen  and  rub  the  layers  of  paper  from  the 
back  of  old  sandpaper,  which  will  make  it  very  pliable 
and  soft. 

Finishing  Black  Birch 

Birch. — Betula  Nigra  or  Canadian  birch  is  superior  to 
all  other  birches  for  constructive  purposes,  and  when 
properly  finished  has  a  fine,  quiet,  refined  look  that 
commends  itself  to  all  lovers  of  domestic  woods. 

Black  birch  is  a  close-grained,  handsome  wood,  and 
can  be  easily  stained  to  resemble  walnut  exactly.  It 
is  just  as  easy  to  work,  and  is  suitable  for  nearly,  if  not 
all,  the  purposes  to  which  walnut  is  applied.  Birch  is 
much  the  same  color  as  cherry,  but  the  latter  wood  is 
now  scarce,  and  consequently  dear.  When  properly 
stained  jt  is  almost  impossible  to  distinguish  the 
difference  between  it  and  walnut,  or  cherry,  as  it  is 
susceptible  of  a  beautiful  polish,  equal  to  any  wood 
now  used  in  the  manufacture  of  furniture  and  inside 
finishings. 

To  finish  to  represent  mahogany,  coat  with  a  weak 
solution  of  bichromate  of  potash,  then  stain  with  rose 
pink,  Vandyke  brown  and  burnt  sienna;  then  shellac, 
with  a  little  Bismarck  brown  dissolved  in  the  shellac. 
This  makes  a  better  stain  and  more  lasting  than  a 
water  stain. 


132 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


There  is  a  species  of  bird’s-eye  birch,  but  it  is  very 
scarce.  An  evidence  of  the  weight  and  solidity  of  the 
wood  is  the  fact  that  it  will  sink  after  being  a  few 
days  on  the  water.  It  also  possesses  the  quality  of 
durability  in  a  preeminent  degree. 

Birch  is  generally  finished  the  same  as  cherry,  and 
directions  given  under  that  head  will  apply  here  also. 

Finishing  Mahogany 

Mahogany,  cherry  and  black  birch  require  about  the 
same  treatment,  though  there  are  some  features  in 
mahogany  that  differ  a  trifle  from  the  other  two  woods.' 
There  is  little  or  no  grain  markings  in  cherry  or  birch, 
while  Spanish  mahogany  may  be  marked  and  penciled 
over  its  whole  face;  and  the  texture  of  the  woods  is  very 
different  to  the  touch. 

Mahogany  ( Svietened ). — The  tree  has  a  darkish-brown 
bark  and  a  reddish-brown,  coarsely  fibered,  streaky, 
hard  wood.  The  tree  grows  to  the  height  of  35  meters, 
and  is  pretty  strong.  Among  the  chief  varieties  is  the 
common  mahogany,  with  a  very  hard,  very  durable 
wood,  which  is  never  attacked  by  worms,  and  is 
excellent  for  ship-building;  but  its  capability  for 
taking  a  fine  polish  is  its  chief  recommendation. 
Mahagoni  Haiti ,  Mahagoni  Jamaika ,  Mahagoni  Havanna 
are  the  other  chief  kinds. 

With  perhaps  the  exception  of  our  oaks,  no  wood 
possesses  like  advantages  of  combined  soundness, 
large  size,  durability,  beauty  of  color  and  richness  of 
figure.  So,  when  compared  with  other  woods, 
mahogany  costs  no  more  to  work  and  stands  better 
than  any  other— the  only  point  to  weigh  against  this 
last  great  feature  is  the  slight  difference  in  the  first 
cost  of  the  wood  in  the  rough;  but  if  rr"hogany  stands 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


133 


better  and  longer,  and  needs  no  attention  afterwards, 
surely  the  sole  advantage  of  less  cost  at  first  which  any 
other  wood  may  possess  is  overcome. 

But  another  merit,  equal  to  any  thus  far  mentioned, 
is  the  warmth  in  its  color  and  the  glory  in  the  figure  of 
this  beautiful  wood.  The  air  of  elegance,  artistic 
effect  and  gentle  breeding  it  imparts  to  all  its  sur¬ 
roundings,  its  joy  and  life — all  these  cannot  be 
measured  by  a  few  cents  a  square  foot.  Its  growing 
splendor  with  age  that  gives  increasing  satisfaction 
may  safely  be  contrasted  with  the  tameness  of  other 
woods,  which,  though  pleasing  at  first,  deteriorate 
rather  than  improve. 

When  the  real  wood  is  used,  but  little  more  is 
necessary  than  to  fill  and  varnish  or  polish,  as  it  can¬ 
not  be  much  improved  upon.  Sometimes,  however,  it 
may  be  deemed  proper  to  darken  it  somewhat  to  take 
away  the  reddish  hue  that  newly  wrought  mahogany 
presents,  and  this  can  best  be  done  by  darkening  the 
filler,  to  suit  the  taste,  trying  the  mixture  first  on  a 
piece  of  the  dressed  stuff,  until  the  desired  shade  is 
obtained.  Staining  the  varnish  or  polish  with  dragons’ 
blood  or  other  suitable  dyes,  will  also  accomplish  the 
desired  end. 

Staining  by  the  fumes  of  ammonia  will  probably 
give  the  best  results,  as  almost  any  tinge  can  be  given 
the  work,  from  the  newness  of  youth  to  the  mellow¬ 
ness  of  extreme  age.  This  method  is  considered  the 
best  for  imparting  to  mahogany  the  appearance  of  age, 
and  for  those  wishing  to  avail  themselves  of  an  easy, 
clean  and  certain  means  of  gaining  the  result,  fumi¬ 
gating  offers  no  serious  obstacle  to  its  accomplishment, 
the  articles  necessary  being  easy  of  acquirement,  and 
at  small  expense. 


134 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


To  darken  mahogany,  wash  it  with  very  weak  lime 
water,  which  allow  to  dry  thoroughly.  This  gives  a 
rich  red  color,  more  closely  matching  old  mahogany 
than  any  other  stain  that  can  be  used. 

Antique  mahogany  may  be  obtained  as  follows: 
Take  one-third  linseed  oil,  two-thirds  turpentine;  coat 
woodwork  and  wipe  off  clean.  When  thoroughly 
dry,  coat  with  bichromate  of  potash;  then  fill  with  a 
dark,  rich  filler;  then  shellac  and  give  three  coats  of 
varnish  and  rub  with  pumice-stone  and  water,  then  oil 
and  wipe  off  clean.  If  an  extra  good  job  is  required, 
give  woodwork  one  heavy  coat  of  polishing  varnish 
after  being  rubbed  in  water;  then  rub  again  in  water 
and  polish.  In  finishing  mahogany,  some  put  on  the 
bichromate  of  potash  without  oiling,  but  they  do  not 
get  as  good  a  color.  All  mahogany  should  be  oiled 
first,  unless  you  want  a  very  light  color;  then  it  should 
have  a  thin  coat  of  shellac  first. 

In  repolishing  and  reviving  old  work,  first  clean  off 
all  dust  from  the  corners  and  rebates,  then  wipe  all 
the  polished  portions  with  warm  water  and  soda,  and 
allow  them  to  dry.  Mahogany  treated  with  spirit 
varnish  is  seldom  satisfactory,  but  it  is  one  of  the 
best  woods  known  for  showing  the  fine  effects  of 
French  polishing.  Couch  legs  and  chair  turnings  are 
generally  bodied  up  with  the  brush,  and  finished  with 
the  rubber.  If  the  surface  is  in  fair  condition  after 
washing,  no  filling  will  be  required;  a  rubber  of  good 
French  polish  worked  out  dry  with  spirit,  and  after¬ 
wards  spirited  out,  or  glazed,  will  give  the  desired 
result,  if  properly  done.  The  polish  will  require 
staining  with  a  little  Bismarck  brown  or  brown 
aniline  dye,  to  brighten  up  the  color.  It  would  be  a 
great  advantage,  and  well  worih  the  outlay,  to  put 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


135 


fresh  gimp  or  leather  banding  round  the  borders;  but 
this  should  not  be  done  until  the  show-wood  portions 
are  repolished. 

Walnut  Finishing 

Walnut  (Juglans  Nigra\ — As  this  wood  is  seldom  or 
never  stained,  it  is  unnecessary  to  say  more  about  it 
other  than  it  may  be  treated  like  oak,  cherry  or  birch. 
It  looks  well  filled  and  finished  in  shellac.  Birch 
stained  and  properly  finished  looks  very  much  like 
walnut,  and  with  a  little  care  in  getting  a  proper  tint  in 
the  stain,  can  scarcely  be  known  from  the  real  thing. 
“Filling,”  in  walnut  finishing,  is  one  of  the  most 
important  processes;  if  the  richness  of  the  wood  is 
desired  to  be  shown,  as  much  depends  on  the  “tint”  as 
on  the  filling  material. 

Ordinary  whitewood  can  be  given  the  appearance  of 
black  walnut  by  first  thoroughly  drying  the  wood  and 
then  washing  two  or  three  times  with  a  strong  aqueous 
solution  of  extract  of  walnut  peel.  When  nearly  dry, 
the  wood  thus  treated  is  washed  over  with  a  solution 
made  of  one  part  (by  weight)  of  bichromate  of  potash 
in  five  parts  of  boiling  water.  After  drying  thoroughly, 
rub  and  polish. 

A  number  of  recipes  for  making  and  applying  stains 
to  imitate  walnut  are  given  elsewhere  in  this  volume, 
which  see. 

Regarding  Cypress 

Cypress  ( Cupressus  sempervierens) . — The  light,  the 
dark  and  the  bald  are  good  woods  and  are  coming 
more  and  more  into  favor  every  day. 

This  wood  contains  a  very  small  amount  of  resin, 
and  a  very  high  polish  can  be  given  it;  in  fact,  because 
of  its  not  being  affected  by  moisture,  it  is  being  used 


136 


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for  cisterns,  hogsheads,  and  sugar,  molasses  and  honey 
barrels.  The  red  cypress  is  the  favorite,  and  some  of 
it  is  so  heavy  that  it  will  sink  upon  being  placed  in 
water.  The  white  variety  is  much  lighter,  and  will 
float  after  being  deadened  a  short  while  before  being 
cut,  but  it  has  not  the  firm  grain  of  the  red.  The  red 
cypress  has  a  straight  trunk  with  a  small  top,  and  the 
bark  when  cut  has  a  reddish  tint.  These  woods  may 
be  treated  like  cherry  or  birch  with  good  results. 
They  look  well  -  when  left  their  natural  color  and 
finished  “dead  finish.’’ 

Concerning  the  use  of  cypress  for  inside  finish,  it  is 
all  right  if  properly  dried,  prepared  and  put  in  place, 
but  dry  it  must  be,  and  there  will  be  no  trouble  with 
its  staying  in  place  or  shrinking  any  more  than  any 
other  kind  of  wood.  It  may  be  remarked,  however, 
that  cypress  is  an  exceedingly  hard  wood  to  thoroughly 
dry,  but  for  a  low-cost  material  there  is  nothing  to 
equal  it  in  appearance.  Get  good,  even-colored 
cypress,  finish  it  well  and  some  people  could  not  tell  it 
from  red  birch.  If  one  cares  to  have  it  stained,  it  takes 
first  rate.  In  finishing  up  cypress,  the  painters’  work 
is  the  most  difficult,  for  if  the  proper  materials  are  not 
put  on  the  grain  is  very  liable  to  rise,  which  will 
spoil  the  good  effect  and  will  show  even  after  being 
rubbed  down.  It  is  susceptible  of  a  very  high  polish, 
and  when  finished  in  the  natural  color  of  the  wood  is 
very  handsome.  It  is  used  by  architects  as  a  basis  for 
the  ivory  white  finish  many  people  fancy,  but  in  any 
event  the  wood  when  used  for  interiors  possesses  too 
much  natural  beauty  to  cover  it  with  paint. 

As  cypress  costs  less  than  any  other  suitable  wood 
for  exterior  work,  it  is  not  only  more  durable,  but  it 
will  take  paint  better  than  other  woods,  and  the  paint 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


137 


will  not  peel  off.  We  have  seen  buildings  shingled 
with  cypress  upon  both  roof  and  walls  upon  which  no 
stain  or  paint  had  been  used.  In  time  such  buildings 
take  on  the  beautiful  gray  color  which  is  so  greatly 
admired  by  many  people,  especially  for  a  country  or 
suburban  residence.  The  natural  qualities  of  the  wood 
make  it  possible  to  use  either  shingles  or  clapboards  in 
this  way  without  paint,  and  there  is  probably  no  other 
wood  upon  which  vines  can  be  grown  with  so  much 
safety  from  injurious  effects. 

Cypress,  viewed  from  the  standpoint  of  the  finisher, 
is  no  less  remarkable  than  when  viewed  from  almost 
every  standpoint.  There  is  no  wood  which  can  be 
finished  more  economically,  or  which  is  more  sus¬ 
ceptible  to  the  finer  handiwork  of  the  finisher  and 
polisher.  If  the  work  is  properly  done,  the  result  will 
be  satisfactory  in  either  case.  It  is  true,  notwithstand¬ 
ing,  that  the  fine  natural  appearance  of  cypress  is  often 
greatly  marred  or  even  ruined  by  faulty  methods  of 
treatment,  and  for  that  reason  care  should  be  exercised 
in  finishing  it.  The  best  results  are  obtained  through 
the  use  of  pure  grain  alcohol  white  shellac,  which 
should  be  purchased  of  a  thoroughly  responsible 
dealer.  Better  results  can  be  obtained  from  this  quality 
of  shellac  than  from  the  more  expensive  “refined 
shellac,”  so  called. 

Cypress  requires  no  filling  or  sealing,  and,  if  it  is 
desired  to  permanently- preserve  the  natural  color  of 
the  wood,  no  oil  or  oily  substance  should  be  applied 
until  the  final  rubbing  down  after  the  wood  is  well 
protected  with  shellac.  We  recommend  three  ar  more 
coats  of  shellac,  as  may  be  desired,  each  coat  to  be 
smoothed  down  with  fine  sandpaper,  while  the  final 
coat  may  be  rubbed  down  with  pumice-stone  and  oil 


133 


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to  produce  a  dead  finish,  or  what  is  sometimes  termed 
“egg  shell’’  finish.  The  final  coat  may  be  left  bright, 
if  preferred,  or  after  rubbing  down  to  a  dead  finish  it 
may  be  given  a  French  polish,  according  to  the  usual 
methods. 

Cypress  will  take  stains  well,  but  we  have  never 
favored  the  staining  of  the  wood  or  the  use  of  any 
color  whatever  in  the  finish  of  it,  for  it  is  far  too  hand¬ 
some  to  disguise  in  any  way. 

Rosewood 

Rosewood  ( Dalbergia  Nigra).- — It  seldom  falls  to  the 
lot  of  the  ordinary  finisher  to  have  to  “try  his  hand’’ 
on  the  genuine  wood,  but  sometimes  it  does  happen  and 
it  is  just  as  well  that  he  should  be  armed  with  the  means 
to  wrestle  with  the  work  if  such  is  ever  thrown  in  his 
way.  To  finish  rosewood  requires  about  the  same 
treatment  as  mahogany,  though,  as  a  matter  of  fact, 
many  pieces  of  rosewood  will  be  found  to  have  a  coarser 
grain  than  mahogany,  and  will  require  much  care  in 
filling.  The  main  thing  to  be  observed  is  to  see  that 
the  filling  is  a  shade  or  two  darker  than  the  wood  to  be 
filled,  before  any  varnish  is  laid  on.  For  imitation  of 
rosewood  I  give  below  a  few  recipes: 

Take  lb.  of  logwood,  boil  it  with  3  pints  of  water 
till  it  is  of  a  very  dark  red,  to  which  add  about  half 
an  ounce  of  salt  of  tartar.  When  boiling  hot,  stain 
your  wood  with  two  or  three  coats,  taking  care  that 
it  is  nearly  dry  between  each;  then,  with  a  stiff,  flat 
brush,  such  as  is  used  for  graining,  make  streaks  with 
a  very  deep  black  stain,  which  if  carefully  executed 
will  be  very  near  the  appearance  of  dark  rosewood. 
The  following  is  another  method:  Stain  your  wood 
all  over  with  a  black  stain,  and  when  dry,  with  a  brush 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


139 


as  above  dipped  in  the  bright  liquid,  form  real  veins  in 
imitation  of  the  grain  of  rosewood,  which  will  produce, 
when  well  managed,  a  beautiful  effect.  A  handy  brush 
for  the  purpose  of  graining  may  be  made  by  taking  a 
flat  brush,  such  as  used  for  varnishing,  and  cutting  the 
sharp  points  of  the  hairs  and  making  the  edge  irregular; 
by  cutting  out  a  few  hairs  here  and  there  the  grain  may 
be  imitated  with  great  accuracy. 

This  is  suitable  to  pine,  cedar,  cypress,  whitewood, 
basswood,  while  the  following  should  only  be  used  in 
mahogany,  cherry,  or  birch:  Spread  on  the  surface  of 
the  material  a  concentrated  solution  of  hypermanganate 
of  potassa,  to  act  until  the  desired  shade  is  obtained. 
Five  minutes  suffice,  ordinarily,  to  give  a  deep  color, 
a  few  trials  indicating  the  proper  proportions.  The 
hypermanganate  of  potassa  is  decomposed  by  the 
vegetable  fiber,  with  the  precipitation  of  brown  per¬ 
oxide  of  manganese,  while  the  influence  of  the  potassa, 
at  the  same  time  set  free,  fixes  in  a  durable  manner 
the  fibers.  When  the  action  is  terminated  the  wood  is 
carefully  washed  with  water,  dried,  and  then  oiled  and 
polished  in  the  usual  manner.  The  effect  produced 
by  this  process  in  several  woods  is  really  remarkable. 

It  has  been  a  mystery  to  many  people  why  the  dark 
wood  so  highly  prized  for  .furniture  is  called  “rose¬ 
wood.”  Its  color  certainly  does  not  look  much  like  a 
rose,  so  we  must  look  for  some  other  reason.  It  is 
claimed  by  some  that  when  the  tree  is  first  cut  the 
wood  possesses  a  very  strong  rose-like  fragrance,  hence 
the  name.  This  is  the  most  probable  reason  for  its 
name.  There  are  about  a  half  dozen  kinds  of  rose¬ 
wood  trees.  The  varieties  are  found  in  South  America, 
and  in  the  East  Indies  and  neighboring  islands. 
Sometimes  the  trees  grow  so  large  that  boards  or 


140 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


planks  four  feet  broad  and  ten  feet  in  length  can  be 
cut  from  them.  The  broad  boards  are  used  for  the 
tops  of  pianofortes.  When  growing  in  the  forests 
the  t-ee  is  remarkable  for  its  beauty,  but  such  is  its 
value  in  manufacturing  as  an  ornarqental  wood,  that 
some  of  the  forests  where  it  once  grew  abundantly 
now  have  scarcely  a  single  specimen  left. 

To  repolish  old  work,  such  as  a  rosewood  piano  or 
similar  articles,  the  following  method  maybe  adopted: 

As  a  rule,  polished  rosewood  pianos  are  not  easily 
kept  in  good  condition;  constant  cleaning  and  an 
occasional  polishing  are  required,  especially  in  the 
case  of  pianos  that  are  faced  with  genuine  rosewood 
veneer,  which  has  a  coarse,  open  grain,  and  is  of  a 
somewhat  oily  nature.  Sometimes  the  grain-filler 
that  is  used  by  the  polishers  will  ooze  out  and  cause 
an  uneven  surface.  Plaster  of  Paris  sometimes  forms 
the  basis  of  a  filling,  and  this  is  apt  to  work  out  white, 
and  becomes  more  apparent  as  the  dye  that  has  been 
used  to  enrich  the  color  of  the  polish  fades  away 
through  exposure  to  strong  sunlight.  It  must  not  be 
forgotten  that  many  so-called  rosewood  pianos  are  not 
faced  with  genuine  rosewood  veneer;  the  more  correct 
term  to  apply  to  such  pianos  is  “rosewood  finish.” 
The  method  by  which  this  finish  is  obtained  depends 
largely  on  the  value  of  the  instrument.  In  most  cases 
the  object  of  the  maker  is  to  impart  a  uniform  color 
(frequently  called  chippendale)  to  the  wood,  and  in 
order  to  obtain  this  end  much  coloring  matter  is 
used;  such  an  excessive  use  of  color  has  a  tendency 
to  destroy  or  imperil  the  nature  of  the  polish,  and 
accounts  for  much  of  the  dullness,  uneven  surface,  or 
variations  of  color  that  are  more  noticeable  on  some 
parts  of  the  instrument  than  on  other  parts. 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


141 


Finishing  Redwood 

Redwood,  as  a  wood  to  hold  its  place  after  worked, 
has  no  equal.  The  shrinkage  between  green  and 
bone-dry  is  very  little,  and  after  it  has  been  ordinarily 
seasoned  the  shrinkage  is  very  little.  It  does  not  keep 
growing  a  little  narrower  every  year,  as  a  white  pine 
board  sometimes  does;  consequently  all  tendency  to 
warping  and  twisting  is  done  away  with. 

As  a  finishing  wood  for  interior  house  finish  in  the 
natural  color  it  has  no  superior  among  the  long  list  of 
American  woods.  It  is,  however,  quite  necessary  that 
the  work  be  properly  done;  the  main  point  to  be 
observed  in  finishing  in  natural  color  is  to  avoid  the 
use  of  linseed  oil,  as  it  stains  the  wood  a  dingy  color. 
The  best  finishers  on  this  coast  invariably  use  shellac 
for  filler,  applied  rather  thin,  so  that  the  wood  will 
absorb  it  and  thereby  make  a  hard  surface,  which 
protects  the  wood  from  bruising,  and  for  last  coat  use 
the  best  grade  of  shellac  or  hard  oil. 

For  an  Egg-Shell  Gloss. — One  coat  of  orange  shellac, 
sandpapered  to  a  smooth  surface,  followed  by  two  or 
three  coats  of  Berry  Brothers’  (white  or  light)  hard  oil 
finish;  rub  first  coats  with  hair-cloth  or  curled  hair, 
and  the  last  coat  with  pulverized  pumice-stone  and 
raw  linseed  oil. 

For  a  Dull  Finish.— Specify  that  the  last  coat  be 
rubbed  with  pulverized  pumice-stone  and  water,  in¬ 
stead  of  oil. 

For  a  Polished  Finish. — Specify  that  the  last  coat  be 
rubbed  first  with  pulverized  pumice-stone  and  water, 
and  then  with  pulverized  rotten  stone  and  water,  and 
for  a  piano  finish  specify  a  further  rubbing  with  Berry 
Brothers’  furniture  polish,  used  with  a  little  pulverized 
rotten  stone,  applied  with  a  piece  of  soft  felt  or  flannel. 


142 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


If  a  rubbed  finish  is  not  desired,  omit  the  specifica¬ 
tions  for  rubbing  the  last  coat. 

White  Pine  Finishing 

Pine  {Finns  Strobns). — If  oak  is  the  king  of  woods, 
pine  is  most  assuredly  “president,”  for  it  is  at  once 
the  most  useful  and  the  most  democratic  of  woods.  It 
is  found  in  the  halls  of  the  great  and  powerful,  and  in 
the  cottage  of  the  most  humble  among  us.  It  is 
strong  and  vigorous,  plain  or  ornamental,  and  is  not 
out  of  place  either  in  the  backwoodsman’s  cabin  or  in 
the  stately  cathedral,  and  like  a  true  man  of  the  world, 
it  adapts  itself  to  every  condition  that  circumstances 
may  place  it  in. 

Pine  can  be  made  to  look  like  any  known  wood,  but 
is  at  its  best  when  left  natural  and  finished  in  clear 
shellac.  There  is  no  wood  grows,  that  will  convey  so 
cheerful  a  feeling  to  the  beholder  as  yellow  or  white 
pine  finished  in  a  natural  state.  Next  to  being  finished 
in  a  natural  state,  is  to  imitate  mahogany  or  light 
cherry,  which  coloring  it  takes  readily. 

Where  the  pine — of  any  kind — is  to  be  either  stained 
or  left  natural,  it  should  be  “quarter  sawed,”  as  it  will 
show  a  finer  grain,  shrink  less,  and  last  longer.  The 
softness  of  its  texture  and  its  susceptibility  to  injury 
may  have  had  some  influence  in  preventing  its  general 
use  for  ornamental  purposes,  but  the  wood  can  be 
“filled,”  so  that  much  of  this  objection  is  removed. 

Most  of  the  stains  given  under  previous  heads  are 
applicable  to  pine.  I  add,  however,  a  few  more,  so 
that  the  workmen  may  have  a  number  of  recipes  to 
draw  from. 

For  Walnut.  —  I.  Dissolve  by  boiling  I  part  each  of 
Epsom  salt  and  permanganate  of  potash  in  ab<~>iA  2" 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


M3 


parts  of  water.  This  stain  maybe  improved  by  adding 
a  little  eosine,  and  it  works  best  when  applied  hot. 

2.  Catechu  broken  into  crumbs  and  boiled  in  about 
twice  its  bulk  of  water  until  dissolved.  To  darken  to 
the  required  depth,  add  bichromate  of  potash  pre¬ 
viously  dissolved  in  about  eight  times  its  equivalent 
of  water.  If  the  deep  yellow  shade  peculiar  to  the 
Southern  walnut  be  required,  add  yellow  chromate  of 
potash.  For  the  reddish  shade  of  the  Northern  wood, 
add  more  eosine. 

3.  For  oil  stain,  use  Vandyke  brown  toned  up  with 
the  siennas,  the  colors  being  strictly  pure  and  finely 
ground  in  oil,  and  diluted  with  turpentine  and  a  small 
amount  of  japan. 

4.  Burnt  Turkey  umber  mixed  in  the  same  way  as 
the  former. 

5.  Mix  together,  by  stirring,  1  quart  spirits  of 
turpentine,  1  pint  asphaltum  varnish,  1  pint  of  japan, 
1  lb.  dry  burnt  umber,  1  lb.  dry  Venetian  red;  apply 
with  a  brush.  This  stain  is  transparent,  and  allows  the 
grain  of  the  wood  to  show  through. 

6.  Boil  i1/^  ounces  washing  soda  and  ounce 
bichromate  of  potash,  in  1  quart  of  water;  add  2 y2. 
ounces  Vandyke  brown.  This  stain  may  be  used 
either  hot  or  cold. 

7.  With  a  brush  apply  a  thin  solution  of  perman¬ 
ganate  of  potassa  in  water,  until  the  desired  color  is 
produced,  allowing  each  coat  to  dry  before  another  is 
applied. 

For  Mahogany  or  Cherry. — 1.  For  mahogany,  use  a 
pint  of  turpentine  and  an  ounce  of  color  known  as 
dragons’  blood.  Dissolve  and  shake  well  before 
applying.  For  ebony,  use  hot  liquor  from  logwood 
chips,  and  after  dry  apply  a  coat  of  tincture  of  steel. 


144 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


For  walnut,  use  2  ounces  of  washing  soda,  darkened 
with  Vandyke  brown  in  water.  Add  2  ounces  of 
bichromate  of  potash  in  1  y2  pints  of  water. 

2.  Mix  together,  by  stirring,  1  quart  of  spirits  of 
turpentine,  I  pint  of  varnish,  and  1  lb.  of  dry  burnt 
sienna;  apply  with  a  brush,  and  after  it  has  been  on 
about  five  minutes  wipe  it  off  with  rags.  This  stain 
takes  about  12  hours  to  dry. 

3.  Take  1  quart  alcohol,  2  ounces  of  dragons’ 
blood;  pulverize  the  latter  along  with  %  ounce  of 
alkanet  root;  mix,  and  let  stand  in  a  warm  place  a 
couple  of  days.  Shake  frequently  in  the  meantime. 
Apply  with  a  sponge  or  brush.  Two  or  three  coats 
may  be  required.  This  makes  a  fine  stain. 

For  Rosewood.  —  1.  Mix  in  a  bottle  %  lb.  of  extract 
of  logwood,  1  ounce  salts  of  tartar,  and  1  pint  of  water; 
in  another  bottle,  put  1  lb.  of  old  iron  in  small  pieces, 
and  1  pint  of  vinegar,  which,  after  standing  24  hours, 
will  be  ready  for  use;  make  a  hard,  stiff  brush  with  a 
piece  of  rattan  sharpened  at  one  end  in  a  wedge  shape, 
pounding  it  so  as  to  separate  the  fiber.  Mix  in  1  pint 
of  varnish  %  lb.  of  finely-powdered  rose-pink.  The 
materials  are  now  ready,  and  the  first  thing  in  the 
process  is  to  stain  the  wood  with  the  logwood  stain; 
give  two  coats  of  this,  allowing  the  first  to  become 
nearly  dry  before  applying  the  second;  then  dip  the 
rattan  brush  in  the  vinegar,  and  with  it  form  the  grain, 
after  which  give  the  work  a  coat  of  the  varnish  and 
rose-pink.  There  can  be  no  definite  directions  given 
for  graining,  except  to  study  the  natural  wood  and 
imitate  it  as  nearly  as  possible.  With  the  above 
materials  skillfully  applied,  any  common  wood  can  be 
made  to  resemble  rosewood  so  nearly  that  it  will  take 
a  good  judge  to  distinguish  the  difference. 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


145 


2.  Boil  1  lb.  of  logwood  in  1  gallon  of  water,  add  a 
double  handful  of  walnut  shell,  boil  the  whole  again, 
strain  the  liquor  and  add  to  it  I  pint  of  the  best 
vinegar.  It  is  then  ready  for  use.  Apply  it  boiling 
hot,  and  when  the  wood  is  dry,  form  red  veins  in 
imitation  of  the  grain  of  rosewood  with  a  brush  dipped 
in  the  following  solution:  Nitric  acid,  I  pint;  metallic 
tin,  1  ounce;  sal  ammoniac,  1  ounce.  Mix  and  set 
aside  to  dissolve,  occasionally  shaking.  If  carefully 
executed  it  will  give  the  appearance  of  dark  rosewood. 

For  surface  stains  the  following  are  sometimes  used. 
The  colors  are  all  to  be  mixed  with  very  thin  glue 
size,  laid  on  warm  with  a  soft  woolen  material,  and 
the  wood  wiped  dry  after  application.  All  the  colors 
used  in  staining  should  be  well  pulverized,  and  before 
use  the  liquid  should  be  strained. 

Imitation  Oak  Stain. — Equal  parts  burnt  umber  and 
brown  ocher. 

Imitation  Mahogany  Stain. — One  part  Venetian  red, 
and  two  parts  yellow  lead. 

Imitation  Rosewood  Stain. — Venetian  red,  darkened 
with  lampblack  to  required  shade. 

Imitation  Walnut  Stain. — Burnt  umber  and  yellow 
ocher,  mixed  in  proportions  to  give  desired  shade. 

Before  leaving  the  subject  of  pine,  it  may  be  as  well 
to  say  a  few  words  regarding  the  long-leaved,  or  Georgia 
pine  ( Pinns  Pulustris ),  as  a  great  deal  of  it  is  used  now 
in  and  about  the  city  of  New  York,  Chicago,  and  other 
large  centers.  This  wood  is  very  fine,  strong  and 
lasting.  Some  of  it  is  insusceptible  of  fine  finish,  but 
the  best  success  with  it  is  when  treated  with  shellac 
finish.  In  all  other  respects,  when  used  as  a  finishing- 
material,  it  may  be  treated  the  same  as  ordinary 
pine. 


146 


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The  softness  of  white  pine  and  its  susceptibility  to 
injury  may  have  had  some  influence  in  preventing  its 
general  use  for  ornamental  purposes,  but  the  wood 
can  be  “filled,”  so  that  much  of  this  objection  is  re¬ 
moved.  Its  pure  white  color — white  as  compared 
with  other  woods — recommends  it  for  purposes  for 
which  holly  has  been  heretofore  used;  and  the  size  of 
the  timber  from  which  clear  lumber  may  be  cut  is 
greatly  in  its  favor,  boards  of  a  width  of  sixteen  and 
even  twenty  inches  being  not  uncommon,  with  no 
shade  of  distinction  between  sap-wood  and  heart,  and 
only  the  faintest  perceptible  grain. 

Some  specimens  lately  examined  show  a  greatly 
enhanced  beauty  by  very  simple  treatment — the  filling 
with  warm  shellac  varnish,  bleached  shellac  in  alcohol, 
applied  with  a  brush  while  warm.  Several  coats  are 
given,  the  last  coat  being  rubbed  with  pumice  and 
rotten  stone  moistened  with  water,  not  oil.  A  finish 
of  a  flowing  coat  of  copal  varnish  completes  the 
preparation.  Thus  treated,  the  wood  is  of  a  faint 
creamy  tint,  with  an  appearance  of  semi-transparency. 
Beautiful  gradations  of  tone  were  obtained  by  panels 
of  this  prepared  pine,  mouldings  of  holly,  and  stiles 
of  curly  or  bird’s-eye  maple,  and  fine  contrasts  were 
made  with  the  pine  and  oiled  black  walnut. 

For  an  Egg-Shell  Gloss. —One  coat  of  shellac  (white 
shellac  if  the  natural  color  of  the  wood  is  to  be 
preserved,  or  orange  shellac  if  the  wood  is  to  be 
stained,  or  is  desired  to  be  darker  in  tone  than  the 
natural  color),  sandpaper  to  a  smooth  surface,  and 
follow  with  two  or  three  coats  of  Berry  Brothers’ 
(white  or  light)  hard  oil  finish  (specify  white  hard  oil 
finish  if  it  is  desired  to  retain  the  natural  color  of 
white  pine);  rub  first  coats  with  hair-cloth  or  curled 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


147 


hair,  and  the  last  coat  with  pulverized  pumice-stone 
and  raw  linseed  oil. 

For  a  Dull  Finish. — Specify  that  the  last  coat  be 
rubbed  with  pulverized  pumice-stone  and  water, 
instead  of  oil. 

For  a  Polished  Finish.-— Specify  that  the  last  coat  be 
rubbed  first  with  pulverized  pumice-stone  and  water, 
and  then  with  pulverized  rotten  stone  and  water,  and 
for  a  piano  finish  specify  a  further  rubbing  with  Berry 
Brothers’  furniture  polish,  used  with  a  little  pulverized 
rotten  stone,  applied  with  a  piece  of  soft  felt  or  flannel. 

If  a  rubbed  finish  is  not  desired,  omit  the  specifi¬ 
cations  for  rubbing  the  last  coat. 

One  of  the  best  ways,  though  perhaps  not  the  cheapest 
way,  to  finish  white  pine  is  to  see  that  the  work  is  well 
sandpapered  with  the  grain,  then  thoroughly  dusted. 
Give  it  at  least  one  coat  of  white  shellac  varnish  and 
one  coat  of  inside  varnish.  Should  this  prove  to  be 
too  expensive,  substitute  liquid  filler  for  the  shellac. 
For  hard  or  yellow  pine  finish  apply  one  coat  of  orange 
shellac  varnish  and  orre  or  two  coats  light  hard  oil 
finish,  or  omit  the  shellac  and  apply  hard  finish 
instead.  A  filler  is  not  required  for  this  wood.  In 
every  instance,  however,  whether  shellac  varnish, 
liquid  filler  or  hard  oil  finish  is  used,  care  must  be 
taken  that  the  first  coat  is  thoroughly  dry  and  hard 
before  applying  the  succeeding  coat,  or  the  latter  is 
liable  to  sink  in,  causing  lack  of  luster. 

Maple 

Maple  {Acer pseudo platanus) .—This  is  a  close-grained 
wood  and  needs  no  filling;  it  should  always  be 
finished  in  its  own  color,  and  that  not  darkened  but 
kept  as  light  as  possible  by  the  use  of  white  shellac 


148 


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for  filling  and  the  whitest  ivory  varnish  to  be  found. 
Most  manufacturers  of  varnish  make  an  article  from 
carefully  selected  gums  that  is  intended  for  such 
a  use.  It  goes  without  the  saying  and  as  a  matter  of 
course  that  hard  maple  takes  on  the  finest  polish  of 
any  kind  of  the  woods. 

For  an  Egg-Shell  Gloss.  —  One  coat  of  white  shellac 
sandpapered  to  a  smooth  surface,  followed  by  two  or 
three  coats  of  Berry  Brothers’  or  other  reliable  white 
hard  oil  finish;  rub  first  coats  with  hair-cloth  or  curled 
hair,  and  the  last  coat  with  pulverized  pumice-stone 
and  raw  linseed  oil. 

For  a  Dull  Finish. — Specify  that  the  last  coat  be 
rubbed  with  pulverized  pumice-stone  and  water, 
instead  of  oil. 

For  a  Polished  Finish. — Specify  that  the  last  coat  De 
rubbed  first  with  pulverized  pumice-stone  and  v/ater, 
and  then  with  pulverized  rotten  stone  and  water,  and 
for  a  piano  finish  specify  a  further  rubbing  with 
furniture  polish,  used  with  a  little  pulverized  rotten 
stone,  applied  with  a  piece  of  soft  felt  or  flannel. 

If  a  rubbed  finish  is  not  desired,  omit  the  spec¬ 
ifications  for  rubbing  the  last  coat. 

White  and  Black  Ash 

Ash  ( Fraxinns  excelsior). — This  wood  is  now  used 
very  much  by  cabinetmakers  and  house-joiners  in 
place  of  oak,  and  I  have  often  seen  furniture  palmed 
off  to  unsuspecting  customers  as  antique  oak,  and  in 
one  instance  I  knew  of  an  architect  who  specified  oak, 
and  who  “passed”  a  mixture  of  white  and  black  ash 
as  oak,  either  knowingly  or  otherwise.  I  am  not 
sure  that  the  owners  in  either  case  lost  anything,  for 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER  1 49 

good  sound  Canadian  ash  is  decidedly  better  than 
dosey  red  oak. 

In  finishing  ash,  either  black  or  white,  the  same 
methods  are  adopted  as  for  finishing  oak,  and  similar 
processes  will  give  similar  results.  Ingenious  stainers 
and  finishers  can  make  ash  resemble  oak  wainscot,  in 
vein  and  color,  so  correctly  that  it  is  almost  impossible 
for  the  most  experienced  connoisseur  to  distinguish 
the  genuine  from  the  spurious.  In  order  to  do  this 
some  finishers  make  a  commencement  by  sketching 
out,  upon  certain  parts  of  the  ash  exterior,  the 
requisite  white  veins,  by  means  of  a  camel-hair  pencil, 
with  white  stain;  that  done,  they  coat  the  veins  with 
thin  varnish,  and  then  darken  the  general  ground, 
dealing  carefully  throughout  the  entire  process  with 
the  veined  portions.  Others  stain  and  embody,  i.e., 
French  polish,  the  ash  with  the  ordinary  preparation, 
after  which  they  pursue  an  operative  course  termed 
“hamping”;  that  is,  scratching  fancifully,  so  as  to 
form  the  veins,  upon  different  parts  of  the  coated 
surface,  before  it  gets  time  to  harden,  with  a  saturated 
rag.  The  former  process  is,  however,  the  more  suit¬ 
able  of  the  two. 

For  an  Egg-Shell  Gloss. — One  coat  of  filler  to  match 
the  color  of  the  wood,  followed  by  one  coat  of  white 
shellac  sandpapered  to  a  smooth  surface,  and  two  or 
three  coats  of  white  or  light  hard  oil  finish;  rub  first 
coats  with  hair-cloth  or  curled  hair,  and  the  last  coat 
with  pulverized  pumice-stone  and  raw  linseed  oil. 

For  a  Dull  Finish. —Specify  that  the  last  coat  be 
rubbed  with  pulverized  pumice-stone  and  water, 
instead  of  oil. 

For  a  Polished  Finish. — Specify  that  the  last  coat  be 
rubbed  first  with  pulverized  pumice-stone  and  water, 


150 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


and  then  with  pulverized  rotten  stone  and  water,  and 
for  a  piano  fi?iish  specify  a  further  rubbing  with  Berry 
Brothers’  furniture  polish,  used  with  a  little  pulverized 
rotten  stone,  applied  with  a  piece  of  soft  felt  or 
flannel. 

If  a  rubbed  finish  is  not  desired,  omit  the  specifica¬ 
tions  for  rubbing  the  last  coat. 

Other  Woods 

Cedar,  White  ( Cupressus  tliuyoides ),  which  is  really  a 
spruce,  and  all  similar  woods,  should  never  be  finished 
in  a  natural  state.  Deep  stains  or  surface  stains  should 
always  be  employed  on  these  woods  if  they  are  not  to 
be  painted. 

Beech  ( Fagus  ferrugmea). — This  is  one  of  the 
unnoticed  woods  of  former  years,  but  is  now  gradually 
gaining  in  favor  as  a  decorative  wood.  It  is  cheap  and 
also  quite  abundant,  while  the  more  popular  hardwoods 
are  beginning  to  grow  scarcer  and  higher  in  price. 
Beechwood  has  a  fine  grain,  is  quite  durable,  and  can 
be  used  in  the  manufacture  of  furniture  and  for 
decorative  purposes  generally.  The  red  variety  has  a 
handsome  appearance  and  is  especially  suitable  for 
use  where  a  good  imitation  of  cherry  is  desired. 

If  “quarter  sawed”  it  shows  a  fine  grain  and  has  a 
character  distinctly  its  own  which  I  think  has  never 
been  properly  appreciated.  When  quartered,  prop¬ 
erly  finished,  filled  and  polished,  it  looks  some¬ 
thing  like  dark  leopard  wood.  It  will  assume  a  dark 
mahogany  color  if  prepared  like  cherry  or  birch,  or  it 
may  be  made  to  appear  like  walnut  if  treated  with 
walnut  stains  and  finish. 

Elm  ( Ulmus  Americana :),  Chestnut  ( Castanea  vesca) , 
Butternut  ( Juglans  cinerea)  . — These  three  woods  are 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


I5i 

often  used  in  inferior  work,  and  are  very  soft  and  easily 
dented.  The  best  is  perhaps  the  elm,  which  does 
very  well  for  bath-room  finish,  panels  for  ash  doors 
and  similar  work.  All  require  a  great  deal  of  “filling,” 
/and  this  should  be  well  rubbed  in  if  a  good  job  is 
'required.  All  of  these  woods  have  a  very  coarse 
grain,  but  if  care  is  taken  in  selecting  the  material, 
very  odd  and  sometimes  pleasing  effects  may  be 
obtained.  Any  of  the  stains  used  on  pine  will 
answer  for  these  woods,  dependent,  of  course,  on  the 
tints  desired.  The  best  result  with  these  woods  is 
derived  by  giving  the  work  one  coat  of  shellac  after 
filling  and  staining;  then  sandpaper  well  and  apply 
your  varnish  or  oil  finish  or  whatever  you  purpose 
finishing  in. 

Sycamore,  or  Buttonwood,  as  it  is  sometimes  called 
(acer  pseudo  plata?uis),  when  quarter  sawed  and  properly 
finished  makes  a  good  appearance,  and  in  many  cases 
is  superseding  cherry  owing  to  its  beauty  and 
cheapness.  Heretofore  its  natural  beauty  has  been 
destroyed  in  many  cases  by  staining  the  wood,  and 
thus  preventing  the  development  of  many  chemical 
changes  which  take  place  and  are  thrown  to  the  surface 
when  properly  treated.  When  quarter  sawed,  a  light¬ 
bodied  and  light-colored  shellac  should  be  used;  when 
by  a  natural  chemical  process  a  beautiful  silver  leaf  is 
developed  and  the  surface  assumes  a  charming  pink 
hue. 

Hemlock  ( Abies  Canadensis). — This  is  rarely  used  for 
finishing,  owing  to  its  brittleness  and  splintery  nature. 
Clean  boards,  however,  made  into  panels  or  other 
similar  work  and  then  finished  in  natural  color, 
assume  a  very  handsome  appearance.  It  has  a  pink 
tint  of  the  most  delicate  kind,  which  improves  and 


152 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


mellows  with  age.  It  should  be  finished  in  the  same 
manner  as  pine. 

I  have  purposely  left  unmentioned  a  number  of  our 
finest  woods,  concerning  which  I  should  have  more  to 
say,  would  it  not  increase  the  size  of  this  volume  be¬ 
yond  reasonable  dimensions.  The  workmen  will 
know,  from  what  has  already  been  said,  how  these 
light  woods  may  be  treated,  and  I  may  add  that  the 
various  maples,  though  rather  light  in  color  for  general 
purposes,  make  the  most  delicate  of  finish.  Gum- 
wood  of  late  has  been  used  to  spme  extent  and  is  not 
hard  to  deal  with  when  to  be  finished.  It  should  be 
treated  about  as  cherry  and  birch,  and  finished  in  a 
similar  way,  and  when  done  nicely  the  work  looks 
quite  well; 

Redwood  is  getting  to  be  a  favorite  wood  with  some 
builders,  owing  no  doubt  to  its  cheapness,  and  its 
easiness  to  work.  It  may  be  classed  among  the  soft 
woods  and  requires  treating  about  the  same  as  chest¬ 
nut,  butternut  and  the  cedars.  The  following  formula 
and  directions  have  been  highly  recommended  as  a 
finish,  but  for  my  own  part  I  prefer  using  Wheeler’s 
filler,  as  I  think  better  results  are  obtained.  Here  is 
the  formula: 

Take  i  quart  spirits  turpentine. 

Add  I  pound  corn-starch. 

Add  y  pound  burnt  sienna. 

Add  i  tablespoonful  raw  linseed  oil. 

Add  I  tablespoonful  brown  japan. 

Mix  thoroughly,  apply  with  a  brush,  let  it  stand,  say 
fifteen  minutes;  rub  off  all  you  can  with  fine  shavings 
or  a  soft  rag,  then  let  it  stand  at  least  tiveiity-fonr  hours, 
that  it  may  sink  into  and  harden  the  fibers  of  the  wood, 
afterward  apply  two  coats  of  white  shellac;  rub  down 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


153 


well  with  fine  flint  paper,  then  put  on  from  two  to  five 
coats  best  polishing  varnish;  after  it  is  well  dried,  rub 
with  water  and  pumice-stone  ground  very  fine,  stand 
a  day  to  dry;  after  being  washed,  clean  with  chamois, 
rub  with  water  and  rotten  stone;  dry,  wash  clean,  as 
before,  and  rub  with,  olive  oil  until  dry. 

Some  use  cork  for  sandpapering  and  polishing,  but 
a  smooth  block  of  hardwood  like  maple  is  better. 
When  treated  in  this  way  redwood  will  be  found  the 
peer  of  any  wood  for  real  beauty  and  life  as  a  house 
trim  or  finish.  By  proper  attention,  redwood  may  be 
made  to  appear  like  mahogany  or  cherry,  but  its 
softness  is  very  much  against  it. 

SOME  GENERAL  RECIPES 

Ebonizing. — Prepare  some  shellac  varnish  by  dissolv¬ 
ing  half  a  pound  of  gum  shellac  in  a  quart  of  alcohol; 
put  in  a  tightly  corked  bottle,  set  in  a  warm  place,  and 
shake  frequently.  When  completely  dissolved,  add 
sufficient  dry  lamp  or  bene  black.  It  will  require 
only  about  a  heaping  tablespoonful  to  half  a  pint  of 
varnish.  Should  it  be  too  thick  to  flow  easily  from 
the  brush  and  spread  evenly,  add  alcohol.  Give  the 
wood  two  or  three  coats  of  this,  which  can  be  done 
within  two  days.  For  fine  woik  give  three  coats  of 
the  black  varnish  and  allow  it  to  dry  thoroughly;  then 
take  some  00  or  000  sandpaper  and  rub  the  work  down 
lightly  until  the  surface  is  smooth  and  even,  being 
careful  not  to  rub  through  to  the  wood.  Then  apply 
two  or  three  coats  more,  and  rub  down  again  with  the 
sandpaper;  give  two  coats  more  and  allow  it  to  dry 
perfectly  hard.  Make  some  rubbers  of  felt — an  old 
felt  hat  is  good — by  tacking  the  felt  on  blocks  of  soft 
wood  of  proper  shape,  which  should  be  flat,  concave 


154 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


or  convex  to  fit  the  work.  Apply  a  few  drops  of 
sewing  machine  oil  to  the  felt  and  sprinkle  on  a  pinch 
of  pulverized  pumice-stone.  Rub  the  work  with  this, 
keeping  the  rubber  moist  with  oil  and  supplied  with 
the  pumice,  until  the  wood  shows  a  perfectly  smooth 
surface,  without  any  gloss.  When  it  has  all  been 
gone  over,  wipe  off  the  surface  and  rub  clean  with  dry 
flannel  cloths.  The  result  is  a  fine  imitation  of  ebony. 
If  the  shellac  varnish  is  colored  with  aniline  instead 
of  lampblack,  the  finished  surface  is  smoother  and  finer. 

Others.  —  I.  Infuse  gall-nut  in  vinegar,  in  which 
rusty  nails  have  been  soaked;  paint  the  wood  with  this, 
polish  and  burnish  when  dry.  2.  Wash  the  wood 
repeatedly  with  a  solution  of  sulphate  of  iron,  made  by 
dissolving  2  ounces  of  sulphate  in  a  pint  of  hot  water. 
When  dry,  apply  a  hot  decoction  of  logwood  and  nut- 
galls  two  or  three  times.  When  dry,  clean  with  a  wet 
sponge  and  then  polish.  3.  Brush  the  wood  with  a 
strong  decoction  of  logwood  chips  several  times. 
When  dry,  give  it  a  coat  of  vinegar  in  which  rusty 
iron  has  been  placed.  Dissolve  beeswax  in  turpentine 
by  setting  in  a  warm  place;  apply  warm  with  a  brush, 
and  rub  it  till  it  shines.  4.  Wash  with  a  concentrated 
aqueous  solution  of  logwood  several  times,  and  then 
with  a  solution  of  acetate  of  iron  40°  Baume.  Repeat 
till  a  deep  black  is  produced.  5.  Put  2  ounces  of  log¬ 
wood  chips  with  1  ounces  of  copperas  in  a  quart  of 
water,  boil,  and  lay  on  hot.  When  dry,  wet  the  sur¬ 
face  again  with  2  ounces  of  steel  filings  dissolved  in 
half  a  pint  of  vinegar.  When  dry  again,  sandpaper 
smooth,  then  oil,  then  fill  it  with  powdered  drop  black 
mixed  in  the  filler.  Work  to  be  ebonized  should  be 
smooth  and  free  from  holes.  Give  it  a  light  coat  of 
quick-drying  varnish,  then  rub  with  finely  pulverized 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


155 


pumice-stone  and  linseed  oil  until  very  smooth.  6. 
Boil  y2  pound  of  chip  logwood  in  2  quarts  of  water, 
and  add  y2  ounce  of  verdigris  and  y2  ounce  of  cop¬ 
peras,  strain,  and  put  in  y2  pound  of  rusty  steel  filings. 
With  this  go  over  the  work  a  second  time.  7.  A 
pound  of  logwood  boiled  in  4  quarts  of  water,  add  2 
handfuls  of  walnut  shells  or  peel,  boil  up  again,  take 
out  the  chips,  add  a  pint  of  vinegar,  and  apply  boiling. 
Afterwards  dissolve  1  ounce  of  green  copperas  in  a 
quart  of  boiling  water  and  apply  hot.  8.  First  sponge 
the  wood  with  a  solution  of  chlorhydrate  of  aniline  in 
water,  to  which  a  small  quantity  of  copper  chloride  is 
added.  When  dry,  go  over  again  with  a  solution  of 
potassium  bichromate.  Repeat  this  twice  or  thrice. 
9.  One  gallon  of  vinegar,  y2  pound  of  green  copperas, 
y  pound  of  China  blue,  2  ounces  nut-gall,  2  pounds 
extract  of  logwood.  Boil  all  these  over  a  slow  fire, 
and  add  half  a  pint  of  iron-rust.  Apply  as  usual.  A 
good  varnish  for  ebonized  work  is  made  by  dissolving 
in  alcohol  some  black  wax. 

STAINS 

Many  excellent  stains  for  pine  may  be  obtained  by 
using  the  ordinary  graining  colors,  Vandyke  brown, 
raw  and  burnt  sienna,  ultramarine  blue,  etc.,  applied 
with  a  brush,  without  previous  preparation,  and  then 
wiped  off  with  a  cloth — a  method  that  brings  out 
clearly  the  grain  or  marks  of  the  wood,  which  in  pitch 
pine,  now  being  extensively  used  for  fittings,  are  often 
extremely  beautiful.  A  better  method  for  general 
work — French  polish  being  ordinarily  too  expensive— 
is,  where  dark  oak  or  mahogany  stains  are  not  wanted, 
light  varnishes,  of  which  two  coats  are  to  be  applied. 
The  glue  size  with  which  the  work  is  first  coated,  in 


156 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


order  to  fill  up  the  pores  of  the  wood,  should  not  be 
too  thick,  as  in  that  case  it  is  liable  to  crack. 

Logwood,  lime,  brown  soft-soap,  dyed  oil,  sulphate 
of  iron,  nitrate  of  silver  exposed  to  the  sun’s  rays, 
carbonate  of  soda,  bichromate  and  permanganate  of 
potash,  and  other  alkaline  preparations,  are  used  for 
darkening  the  wood;  the  last  three  are  specially 
recommended.  The  solution  is  applied  by  dissolving 
I  ounce  of  the  alkali  in  2  gills  of  boiling  water,  diluted 
to  the  required  tone.  The  surface  is  saturated  with  a 
sponge  or  flannel,  and  immediately  dried  with  soft  rags. 
The  carbonate  is  used  for  dark  woods.  Oil  tinged, 
with  rose  madder  may  be  applied  to  hardwoods  like 
birch,  and  a  red  oil  is  prepared  from  soaked  alkanet 
root  in  linseed  oil.  The  grain  of  yellow  pine  can  be 
brought  out  by  two  or  three  coats  of  japan,  much 
diluted  with  turpentine,  and  afterwards  oiled  and 
rubbed.  To  give  mahogany  the  appearance  of  age, 
lime  water  used  before  oiling  is  a  good  plan.  In 
staining  wood,  the  best  and  most  transparent  effect  is 
obtained  by  repeated  light  coats  of  the  same.  For 
oak  stain  a  strong  solution  of  oxalic  acid  is  employed; 
for  mahogany,  dilute  nitric  acid.  A  primary  coat  or  a 
coat  of  wood  fillers  is  advantageous.  For  mahogany 
stains,  the  following  are  given:  2  ounces  of  dragons’ 
blood  dissolved  in  I  quart  of  rectified  spirits  of  wine, 
well  shaken,  or  raw  sienna  in  beer,  with  burnt  sienna 
to  give  the  required  tone;  for  darker  stains  boil 
pound  of  madder  and  2  ounces  of  logwood  chips  in  I 
gallon  of  water,  and  brush  the  decoction  while  hot 
over  the  wood;  when  dry,  paint  with  a  solution  of  2 
ounces  of  potash  in  I  quart  of  water.  A  solution  of 
permanganate  of  potash  forms  a  rapid  and  excellent 
brown  stain. 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


I57 


Oak  or  ash  may  be  stained  brown  by  using  linseed 
oil  and  benzine  half  and  half,  and  burnt  umber  or 
Vandyke  brown  incorporated  with  this.  Maple  can 
be  stained  green-gray  by  using  copperas  in  water;  oak 
will  also  be  changed  to  a  dark  green-blue  through  the 
same  agency,  the  effect  on  ash  being  various  shades  of 
olive  green.  Ammonia  applied  to  oak  produces  the 
bronze  olive  tint  now  used  so  much  by  architects. 

Wash  any  compact  wood  with  a  boiling  decoction  of 
logwood  three  or  four  times,  allowing  it  to  dry  between 
each  application.  Then  wash  it  with  a  solution  of 
acetate  of  iron,  which  is  made  by  dissolving  iron  filings 
in  vinegar.  This  stain  is  very  black,  and  penetrates 
to  a  considerable  depth  into  the  wood,  so  that  ordinary 
scratching  or  chipping  does  not  show  the  original 
color. 

A  wash  of  i  part  of  nitric  acid  in  io  parts  of  water 
will,  if  well  done,  impart  a  stain  resembling  mahogany 
to  pine  wood  which  does  not  contain  much  resin. 
When  the  wood  is  thoroughly  dry,  shellac  varnish  will 
impart  a  fine  finish  to  the  surface.  A  glaze  of  carmine 
or  lake  will  produce  a  rosewood  finish.  A  turpentine 
extract  of  alkanet  root  produces  a  beautiful  stain  which 
admits  of  French  polishing.  Asphaltum,  thinned  with 
turpentine,  makes  an  excellent  mahogany  color  on 
new  wood. 

A  Method  of  imparting  to  any  plain  white  wood 
the  appearance  of  cedar  wood  is  as  follows:  Mix  2 
parts  of  catechu,  and  1  part  of  caustic  soda,  in  100 
parts  of  water  (all  by  weight).  The  article  to  be 
stained  should  be  boiled  in  this  solution  for  some 
hours,  and  is  then  rinsed  in  clear  water  and  dried.  If 
the  desired  depth  of  tone  has  not  been  obtained,  a 
second  boiling  must  be  resorted  to.  This  stain  is  said 


1 58 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


to  sink  so  deep  into  the  wood  that  even  thick  sheets  of 
veneer  thus  treated  will  be  colored  right  through; 
while  other  wood  articles  thus  stained  may  be  safely 
manipulated  without  any  fear  of  the  original  color  of 
the  wood  showing  through. 

For  a  Brown  Stain. — Boil  i  pound  of  the  brown 
pigment  called  Terre  de  Cassel  with  4  quarts  of  water, 
until  it  is  reduced  one-third.  Mix  2  ounces  (Troy)  of 
white  potash  with  sufficient  water  to  dissolve  it,  and 
mix  with  the  Terre  de  Cassel.  This  stain  must  be 
applied  with  a  brush,  two  or  even  three  times,  accord¬ 
ing  to  the  depth  of  the  shade  required. 

Another. — Paint  the  wood  with  a  solution  made  by 
boiling  one  pot  of  catechu  with  30  parts  of  water  and 
a  little  soda;  when  dry,  paint  over  with  another 
solution  made  of  I  part  bichromate  of  potash  and  30 
parts  water.  By  a  little  difference  in  the  mode  of 
treatment,  and  by  varying  the  strength  of  the 
solutions,  several  shades  of  color  may  be  given. 

Staining  Carved  Panels.— First,  oil  the  panels  with 
linseed  oil,  then  mix  a  little  powdered  water  stain  (this 
is  best  mixed  with  rain  water),  and  brush  over  the 
stain  with  a  hog’s  hair  brush,  using  as  little  stain  as 
possible.  When  dry,  give  a  coat  of  button  polish, 
which  must  be  laid  on  with  a  camel-hair  brush.  Care 
must  be  taken  not  to  form  puddles  in  the  carvings, 
either  with  the  stain  or  polish.  When  the  polish  is 
quite  dry,  the  panels  will  be  improved  by  rubbing  with 
a  piece  of  clean  linen  rag.  By  following  the  foregoing, 
a  good  effect  is  obtained,  and,  by  oiling  before  staining, 
the  fibers  of  the  wood  will  not  rise. 

Staining  Spirit  Varnish  for  Furniture,  etc. — White  hard 
spirit  varnish,  as  it  comes  from  the  makers,  is  generally 
much  too  thick  for  mixing  with  stain,  and  does  not 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


I  $9 

distribute  evenly.  Stained  varnishes  should  be  diluted 
with  spirits  or  turpentine,  whichever  may  be  the 
solvent.  Two  applications  of  thin  varnish  will  give  far 
more  satisfactory  results  than  one  heavy  coating  of 
thick  varnish.  Brown  hard  spirit  varnish  with  the 
addition  of  red  stain  will  give  much  better  results. 
When  the  work  is  streaky,  it  would  be  advisable  to 
remove  it  by  softening  with  spirits  or  grinding  down 
with  pumice-stone  powder  and  water,  then  using 
varnish  as  advised  above.  Oil  varnish,  such  as  church 
oak  varnish,  is  generally  considered  too  garish  for  use 
on  furniture.  In  repolishing  old  work,  the  idea  of 
filling  up  a  deep  scratch  with  beeswax  and  resin  is  a 
good  one,  but  it  requires  considerable  practice  to  get  a 
quite  level  surface  and  a  perfect  match  as  regards 
color.  The  surface  that  has  been  disturbed  during  the 
operation  maybe  treated  by  coloring  up;  that  is,  body¬ 
ing  up  to  fill  the  grain  of  the  wood;  then,  by  blending 
together  suitable  colors,  mixed  in  I  part  of  polish  to 
3  parts  of  spirits,  carefully  penciling  in  till  a  perfect 
match  is  secured. 


DYEING  WOODS 

For  a  Black  Dye. — Put  6  pounds  of  chip  logwood  into 
the  copper,  with  as  many  veneers  as  it  will  con¬ 
veniently  hold,  without  pressing  too  tight;  fill  it  with 
water,  and  let  it  boil  slowly  for  about  three  hours; 
then  add  y2  pound  of  powdered  verdigris,  y2  pound  of 
copperas,  and  4  ounces  of  bruised  nut-galls;  fill  the 
copper  up  with  vinegar  as  the  water  evaporates;  let  it 
boil  gently  two  hours  each  day  till  the  wood  is  dyed 
through. 

Another. — Procure  some  liquor  from  a  tanner’s  pit, 
or  make  a  decoction  of  oak  bark,  and  to  every  gallon 


i6o 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


of  the  liquor  add  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  green 
copperas,  and  mix  them  well  together;  put  the  liquor 
into  the  copper,  and  make  it  quite  hot,  but  not  boil; 
immerse  the  veneers  in  it,  and  let  them  remain  for  an 
hour;  take  them  out,  and  expose  them  to  the  air,  till 
it  has  penetrated  its  substance;  then  add  some  logwood 
to  the  solution,  place  the  veneers  again  in  it,  and  let  it 
simmer  for  two  or  three  hours;  let  the  whole  cool 
gradually,  dry  the  veneers  in  the  shade,  and  they  will 
be  a  very  fine  black. 

Dyeing  wood  is  mostly  applied  for  the  purpose  of 
veneers,  while  staining  is  more  generally  had  recourse 
to,  to  give  the  desired  color  to  the  article  after  it  has 
been  manufactured.  In  the  one  case  the  color  should 
penetrate  throughout,  while  in  the  latter  the  surface 
is  all  that  is -essential. 

In  dyeing  pear  tree,  holly  and  beech,  take  the  best 
black;  but  for  most  colors  holly  is  preferable.  It  is 
also  best  to  have  wood  as  young  and  as  newly  cut  as 
possible.  After  the  veneers  are  cut,  they  should  be 
allowed  to  lie  in  a  trough  of  water  for  four  or  five  days 
before  they  are  put  into  the  copper,  as  the  water, 
acting  as  a  purgative  to  the  wood,  brings  out  an 
abundance  of  slimy  matter,  which  must  be  removed,  or 
the  wood  will  never  be  a  good  color.  After  this 
purificatory  process,  they  should  be  dried  in  the  open 
air  for  at  least  twelve  hours.  They  are  then  ready 
for  the  copper.  By  these  simple  means  the  color  will 
strike  much  quicker,  and  be  of  a  brighter  hue.  It 
would  also  add  to  the  improvement  of  the  colors,  if, 
after  the  veneers  have  boiled  a  few  hours,  they  are 
taken  out,  dried  in  the  air,  and  again  immersed  in  the 
coloring  copper.  Always  dry  veneers  in  the  open  air, 
for  fire  invariably  injures  the  colors. 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


161 


Fine  Blue  Dye. — Into  a  clean  glass  bottle  put  I  pound 
of  oil  of  vitriol,  and  4  ounces  of  the  best  indigo 
pounded  in  a  mortar  (take  care  to  set  the  bottle  in  a 
basin  or  earthen  glazed  pan,  as  it  will  ferment);  then 
put  the  veneers  into  a  copper  or  stone  trough;  fill  it 
rather  more  than  one-third  with  water,  and  add  as 
much  of  the  vitriol  and  indigo  (stirring  it  about)  as 
will  make  a  fine  blue,  'which  may  be  known  by  trying 
it  with  a  piece  of  white  paper  or  wood.  Let  the 
veneers  remain  till  the  dye  has  struck  through. 

The  color  will  be  much  improved  if  the  solution  of 
indigo  in  vitriol  be  kept  a  few  weeks  before  using  it. 
The  color  will  strike  better  if  the  veneers  are  boiled 
in  plain  water  till  completely  soaked  through,  and  then 
allowed  for  a  few  hours  to  dry  partially,  previous  to 
being  immersed  in  the  dye. 

Another. — Throw  pieces  of  quicklime  into  soft 
water;  stir  it  well;  when  settled,  strain  or  pour  off  the 
clear  part;  then  to  every  gallon  add  ten  or  twelve 
ounces  of  the  best  turnsole;  put  the  whole  into  the 
copper  with  the  veneers,  which  should  be  of  white 
holly,  and  prepared  as  usual  by  boiling  in  water;  let 
them  simmer  gently  till  the  color  has  sufficiently 
penetrated,  but  be  careful  not  to  let  them  boil  in  it, 
as  it  would  injure  the  color. 

A  Fine  Yellow  Dye. — Reduce  4  pounds  of  the  root  of 
barberry,  by  sawing,  to  dust,  which  put  in  a  copper  or 
brass  trough;  add  4  ounces  of  turmeric  and  4  gallons 
of  water,  then  put  in  as  many  white  holly  veneers  as 
the  liquor  will  cover;  boil  them  together  for  three  hours, 
often  turning  them;  when  cool,  add  2  ounces  of  aqua 
fortis  and  the  dye  will  strike  through  much  sooner. 

A  Bright  Yellow  Dye. — To  every  gallon  of  watef 
necessary  to  cover  the  veneers,  add  1  pound  of  French 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


162 

berries;  boil  the  veneers  till  the  color  has  penetrated 
through;  add  to  the  infusion  of  the  French  berries,  the 
liquid  for  brightening  colors  given  as  stated,  and  let 
the  veneers  remain  for  two  or  three  hours,  and  the 
color  will  be  very  bright. 

Bright  Green  Dye. — Proceed  as  in  either  of  the 
previous  recipes  to  produce  a  yellow;  but  instead  of 
adding  aqua  fortis  or  the  brightening  liquid,  add  as 
much  vitriolated  indigo  as  will  produce  the  desired 
color. 

Green  Dye. — Dissolve  4  ounces  of  the  best  verdigris, 
and  of  sap-green  and  indigo  y2  ounce  each,  in  3  pints 
of  the  best  vinegar;  put  in  the  veneers,  and  gently  boil 
till  the  color  has  penetrated  sufficiently. 

The  hue  of  the  green  may  be  varied  by  altering  the 
proportion  of  the  ingredients;  and  it  is  advised,  unless 
wanted  for  a  particular  purpose,  to  leave  out  the 
sap-green,  as  it  is  a  vegetable  color  very  apt  to  change, 
or  turn  brown,  when  exposed  to  the  air. 

Bright  Red  Dye. — To  2  pounds  of  genuine  Brazil 
dust,  add  4  gallons  of  water;  put  in  as  many  veneers 
as  the  liquor  will  cover;  boil  them  for  three  hours; 
then  add  2  ounces  of  alum,  and  2  ounces  of  aqua  fortis, 
and  keep  it  lukewarm  until  it  has  struck  through. 

Red  Dye. — To  every  pound  of  logwood  chips,  add  2 
gallons  of  water;  put  in  the  veneers,  and  boil  as  in  the 
last;  then  add  a  sufficient  quantity  of  the  brightening 
liquid  till  you  see  the  color  to  your  mind;  keep  the 
whole  as  warm  as  the  finger  can  be  borne  in  it,  till  the 
color  has  sufficiently  penetrated. 

The  logwood  chips  should  be  picked  from  all 
foreign  substances,  with  which  it  generally  abounds, 
as  bark,  dirt,  etc.;  and  it  is  always  best  when  fresh 
cut,  which  may  be  known  by  its  appearing  of  a 


HARDWOOD  FINJSHER  163 

bright-red  color;  for  if  stale,  it  will  look  brown,  and 
not  yield  so  much  coloring  matter. 

Purple  Dye. — To  2  pounds  of  chip  logwood  and 
pound  of  Brazil  dust,  add  4  gallons  of  water,  and  after 
putting  in  the  veneers,  boil  them  for  at  least  three 
hours;  then  add  6  ounces  of  pearlash  and  2  ounces  of 
alum;  let  them  boil  for  two  or  three  hours  every  day, 
till  the  color  has  struck  through. 

The  Brazil  dust  only  contributes  to  make  the  purple 
of  a  more  red  cast;  you  may,  therefore,  omit  it,  ii 
you  require  a  deep  bluish  purple. 

Another.  —  Boil  2  pounds  of  logwood,  either  in  chips 
or  powder,  in  4  gallons  of  water,  with  the  veneers;  after 
boiling  till  the  color  is  well  struck  in,  add  by  degrees 
vitriolated  indigo  till  the  pur.ple  is  of  the  shade  required, 
which  may  be  known  by  trying  it  with  a  piece  of  paper; 
let  it  then  boil  for  one  hour,  and  keep  the  liquid  in  a 
milk-warm  state  till  the  color  has  penetrated  the  veneer. 
This  method,  when  properly  managed,  will  produce  a 
brilliant  purple,  not  so  likely  to  fade  as  the  foregoing. 

Liquid  for  Brightening  and  Setting  Colors. — To  every 
pint  of  strong  aqua  fortis,  add  I  ounce  of  grain  tin,  and 
a  piece  of  sal-ammoniac  of  the  size  of  a  walnut;  set 
it  by  to  dissolve,  shake  the  bottle  round  with  the  cork 
out,  from  time  to  time;  in  the  course  of  two  or  three 
days  it  will  be  fit  for  use.  This  will  be  found  an 
admirable  liquid  to  add  to  any  color,  as  it  not  only 
brightens  it,  but  renders  it  less  likely  to  fade  from 
exposure  to  the  air. 

Orange  Dye.— Let  the  veneers  be  dyed  by  either  of 
the  methods  given  as  above,  of  a  fine  deep  yellow,  and 
while  they  are  still  wet  and  saturated  with  the  dye,  trans¬ 
fer  them  to  the  bright  red  dye,  till  the  color  penetrates 
equally  throughout. 


164 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


Silver  Gray  Dye. — Expose  to  the  weather,  in  a  cast- 
iron  pot  of  six  or  eight  gallons,  old  iron  nails,  hoops, 
etc.,  till  covered  with  rust;  add  1  gallon  of  vinegar 
and  2  of  water,  boil  all  well  for  an  hour;  have  the 
veneers  ready,  which  must  be  hardwood  (not  too  dry), 
put  them  in  the  copper  used  to  dye  black,  and  pour 
the  iron  liquor  over  them;  add  1  pound  of  chip  log¬ 
wood  and  2  ounces  of  bruised  nut-galls;  then  boil  up 
another  pot  of  the  iron  liquor  to  supply  the  copper 
with,  keeping  the  veneers  covered,  and  boiling  two 
hours  a  day,  till  the  required  color  is  obtained. 

Gray  Dye. — Expose  any  quantity  of  old  iron,  or  what 
is  better,  the  borings  of  gun-barrels,  etc.,  in  any  con¬ 
venient  vessel,  and  from  time  to  time  sprinkle  them 
with  spirits  of  salt  (muriatic  acid)  diluted  in  four 
times  its  quantity  of  water,  till  they  are  very  thickly 
covered  with  rust;  then  to  every  6  pounds  add  I 
gallon  of  water,  in  which  has  been  dissolved  2  ounces 
of  salt  of  tartar;  lay  the  veneers  in  the  copper,  and 
cover  them  with  this  liquid;  let  it  boil  for  two  or 
three  hours  till  well  soaked,  then  to  every  gallon  of 
liquor  add  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  green  copperas,  and 
keep  the  whole  at  a  moderate  temperature  till  the  dye 
has  sufficiently  penetrated. 

GILDING,  SILVERING,  BRONZING,  AND  COMPOSITION 

In  gilding,  the  design  should  be  simple  and  fairly 
open,  so  that  the  gold  leaf  can  be  laid  in  water  without 
too  many  difficulties.  As  the  particular  method  of 
gilding  here  described  requires  the  whole  surface  to 
be  burnished,  it  will  be  found  that  a  design  should  be 
treated  in  a  broad  way,  as,  if  the  surface  is  too  much 
broken  up,  it  will,  on  account  of  its  being  burnished, 
and  therefore  reflecting  light  in  a  high  degree,  be 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


165 


worrying  in  its  effects,  as  well  as  entailing  an  enormous 
amount  of  time  to  lay  the  gold  leaf  in  water.  The 
clever  craftsman  is  he  who  gets  his  effects  by  means 
as  simple  as  possible.  That  piece  of  work  will  be  the 
most  satisfactory  that  fulfills  the  purpose  for  which  it 
was  designed,  however  simple  the  means,  so  long  as 
the  result  is  lasting. 

In  the  design  Fig.  115  now  given,  the  frame  is  to 
take  a  mirror, 
the  sight  size  of 
which  should 
be  inches 

high  by  13^ 
inches  wide,  the 
full  size  of  the 
plate  being  17 
inches  by  14 
inches.  The 
extreme  dimen- 
sions  of  the 
frame  are  24 y 
inches  high, 

25^4  inches 
wide.  The 

plinth  will  require  a  piece  20^4  inches  by  3  7/%  inches 
by  74  inches  thick;  the  moulding  for  it  will  require  a 
piece  y  inch  by  ^4  inch.  The  pilasters  are  3^  inches 
by  y  inch  thick.  They  are  tenoned  into  the  plinth, 
the  mortises  in  which  should  not  be  more  than  i}( 
inches  deep,  so  that  they  do  not  come  below  the  mar¬ 
ginal  line  of  the  carving  along  it.  The  top  rail,  which 
shows  7/q  inch  on  the  face  of  the  frame,  is  tenoned 
into  the  pilasters;  the  top  of  the  carving  on  the  pilasters 
should  come  on  a  line  with  the  rail,  so  as  not  to  weaken 


Fig.  115 


1 66 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


or  cut  through  the  mortises.  The 
hollow  moulding  is  got  out  of  3^ 
inches  by  Y  inch,  and  is  returned  on 
the  sides,  as  is  the  moulding  on  the 
plinth.  The  ogee  moulding  requires 
a  piece  25^4  inches  by  sH  inches  by 
Y  inch;  the  returns  in  this  are  shaped 
out  of  the  solid  at  each  end  of  the 
piece,  and  it  is  screwed  on  the  frame 
from  the  top. 

The  design  for  the  pilasters,  Fig. 
1 16,  is  one-fifth  full  size.  It  is  very 
important  when  carving  to  treat  the 
ground  freely;  the  worker  should 
aim  at  having  the  ground  somewhat 
uneven,  not  in  an  abrupt  and  obvious 
way,  but  with  a  soft  up  and  down  sort 
of  feeling,  which  will,  when  the  work 
is  gilded,  make  it  look  ever  so  much 
more  human.  The  result  will  be 
more  interesting  than  if  the  ground 
is  cut  perfectly  flat  and  even.  The 
edges  round  the  carved  parts  should 
not  be  set  in,  but  should  slope  un¬ 
derneath  the  forms  in  an  easy  hollow. 
The  pilasters  should  be  grounded 
out  a  inch  at  the  base,  and  more 
shallow  at  tine  top,  so  that  the  smaller 
leaves  and  flower  should  be  in  fainter 
relief.  The  plinth  should  not  be 
grounded  out  deeper  than  inch. 
Pine  or  whitewood  may  be  used  to  make  the  frame. 

Having  made  the  frame  and  put  it  together,  we  now 
want  to  gild  it.  The  way  here  described  is  a  modi- 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


167 


fication  of  the  old  Italian  method.  First  of  all,  it  will 
be  necessary  to  slake  some  fine  plaster  of  Paris  in 
water  for  three  weeks  (about  1  pound  of  plaster  to 
4  gallons  of  water).  It  should  be  stirred  frequently 
the  first  day  to  prevent  setting.  At  the  end  of  three 
weeks  the  water  is  poured  out,  the  plaster  is  put  into 
a  cloth,  and  the  water  squeezed  out;  it  is  then  left  to 
dry  into  a  solid  cake.  When  wanted  for  use,  break  a 
piece  that  will  go  in  a  small  pipkin,  and  cover  it  with 
water  for  half  an  hour.  While  the  plaster  is  soaking 
the  frame  should  be  got  ready.  Clear  parchment  size 
will  now  be  wanted;  it  can  be  had  from  gilders’ 
material  dealers.  Some  should  be  melted  in  a  pipkin, 
care  being  taken  that  it  does  not  boil;  if  it  does,  its 
setting  property  will  be*  destroyed.  With  a  round 
hog-hair  brush  give  the  frame  two  coats  of  clear  size, 
using  it  its  full  strength;  then  pour  the  water  off  the 
plaster  and  pour  some  warm  size,  full  strength,  over  it 
and  mix  together;  it  should  be  mixed  to  the  con¬ 
sistency  of  cream;  warm  it  up,  and  strain  through 
muslin,  working  it  through  with  a  brush;  warm  it 
again,  and  give  a  coat  to  the  carved  work  with  the 
hog-hair  brush,  and  to  the  plain  parts  with  a  camel- 
hair  mop.  Four  coats  should  be  given  on  the  carved 
parts,  using  the  soft  brush  after  the  first  coat,  and 
six  coats  given  on  the  plain  parts.  They  should  be 
given  as  soon  as  the  preceding  coat  is  set,  but  not  dry. 

When  the  coats  are  quite  dry,  which  should  be  the 
next  day,  the  plaster  has  to  be  smoothed  down.  It 
will  be  more  possible  to  preserve  the  shape  in  the 
small  work  if  emery  cloth  is  used.  When  all  rough¬ 
ness  has  been  smoothed  down,  all  parts  should  care¬ 
fully  be  gone  over  with  finest  sandpaper. 

The  work  has  now  to  be  prepared  so  that  the  gold 


i68 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


will  stand  burnishing.  Armenian  bole,  which  can  be  ob¬ 
tained  of  chemists,  will  be  required,  and  some  pipeclay. 
Blanc’s  will  do,  as  it  is  fine.  Three-fifths  of  bole  to 
two  of  clay  are  ground  together  on  a  piece  of  glass 
with  a  muller,  using  some  water  while  grinding.  The 
grinding  should  proceed  for  a  good  half  hour,  in  fact, 
it  cannot  be  too  well  ground,  as,  if  it  is  in  the  least 
gritty,  it  will  rub  through  when  burnishing.  For  the 
frame  in  hand,  about  half  a  pipkinful  will  be  required. 

Melt  down  some  size,  and  put  some  water  in  a 
pipkin  about  a  quarter  full;  add  some  melted  size,  so 
that  there  should  be  just  a  bit  more  size  than  water. 
Then  put  in  the  ground  bole  and  clay,  and  mix  well 
together.  The  mixture  should  flow  easily  from  the 
brush,  but  should  not  be  too  thin.  Before  using  all 
over  the  frame,  it  will  be  as  well  to  try  some  on  the 
back  edge;  allow  it  to  dry.  If  it  dries  the  same  color 
as  when  put  on  wet,  there  is  too  much  size,  and  it 
should  be  weakened  with  water.  If  it  dries  a  lighter 
color,  rub  it  down  with  D  emery  paper,  wearing  down 
the  sharpness  of  the  paper  first,  as  it  is  too  strong  if 
used  fresh.  If,  on  being  papered,  it  polishes  without 
rubbing  off,  it  is  the  proper  strength,  and  may  be  used. 
Should  it  rub  off,  it  is  weak,  and  more  size  should  be 
added.  Having  our  burnish  gold  size  the  proper 
strength,  we  give  the  work  four  coats  all  over,  using 
a  camel-hair  mop,  allowing  each  coat  to  set,  and 
taking  care  to  take  up  all  pools  that  may  collect  in  the 
bottoms.  When  quite  dry,  it  must  be  rubbed  down  all 
over  with  D  emery  paper,  and  then  well  bristled  with 
a  short  hog-hair  brush  until  there  is  a  good  polish 
everywhere.  If  there  be  any  dull  parts,  there  is 
something  wrong,  and  the  gilding  should  not  proceed 
until  put  right,  as  failure  will  be  the  result.  The 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER  169 

most  essential  points  are  that  the  bole  be  well 
ground,  and  that  the  size  is  not  too  strong. 

The  frame  is  then  ready  for  gilding.  The  water  to 
gild  with  must  have  three  teaspoonfuls  of  size  to  a 
small  pipkin  full  of  water.  The  gold  is  laid  on  in  the 
usual  way.  The  writer  will  attempt  to  describe  how 
to  lay  it;  but  it  is  an  operation  that  really  requires 
demonstration.  A  cushion,  a  knife,  a  whole  and  a 
three  tip  (the  whole  tip  to  take  a  whole  leaf,  the  three- 
tip  to  take  smaller  pieces  of  the  leaf),  a  camel-hair 
pencil  and  liner;  these  should  be  placed  on  the  same 
handle — one  at  each  end  will  be  wanted.  The  plinth 
had  better  be  laid  first,  then  the  pilasters,  all  the 
smaller  fillets  and  mouldings  next,  leaving  the  hollow 
and  ogee  mouldings  to  be  laid  last,  as  the  beginner 
will  by  then  have  acquired  some  facility  in  the  handling 
of  the  leaf.  It  will  be  better  for  a  beginner  to  blow 
out  one  leaf  at  a  time  on  to  his  cushion;  it  will  save 
waste  until  he  is  more  expert  in  the  handling.  To 
take  out  a  leaf,  hold  the  book  almost  perpendicularly, 
expose  a  gold  leaf,  and  gently  blow  it  on  to  the 
cushion;  then  take  the  cushion  in  the  left  hand,' 
passing  the  thumb  through  the  leaf  which  is  under¬ 
neath;  pass  the  knife  very  carefully  underneath  the 
leaf,  lift  it  up,  and  spread  it  open  on  the  cushion.  If 
no  corners  are  folded  underneath  it,  blow  gently  in 
the  center  of  it,  so  that  it  will  be  flattened  out;  then 
cut  the  leaf  by  drawing  the  knife  firmi}^  through  the 
middle  of  it;  then  divide  the  two  halves  into  three 
pieces,  so  that  the  leaf  is  divided  into  six  pieces  1% 
inches  by  1  inch.  A  piece  of  gold  is  picked  up  by 
the  three-tip  being  placed  about  halfway  on  the  piece; 
if  it  does  not  adhere  to  the  tip  the  worker  should  rub 
the  tip  briskly  on  his  hair — a  slight  oiliness  will  make 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


170 

the  gold  take  kindly  to  the  tip.  Great  care  must  be 
taken  to  keep  the  knife  clean  and  free  from  grease. 
The  tip  with  the  piece  of  gold  attached  to  it  must  be 
held  between  the  first  two  fingers  of  the  left  hand,  and 
the  knife  by  the  next  two  fingers.  Take  up  the  pencil, 
wet  it  in  the  water  and  size,  and  wet  the  ground 
between  two  of  the  forms  on  the  plinth.  The  place  to 
be  gilded  must  be  wet,  but  pools  must  be  avoided,  else 
the  gold  will  not  reach  the  ground,  or,  if  pressed 
down,  the  water  will  burst  through  the  gold  and  cause 
a  stain.  Holding  the  pencil  and  liner  in  the  right 
hand,  the  tip  is  now  taken  with  the  right  hand,  held 
over  the  place  where  the  gold  has  to  go,  and  the  piece 
gently  pressed  down  on  it.  With  the  liner  the  gold  is 
pressed  home,  and  if  the  piece  is  somewhat  larger  than 
the  ground,  the  overlapping  gold  is  turned  into  the 
corners  of  the  ground  and  ornament  with  the  liner,  or 
faulter  as  gilders  call  it.  All  the  ground  should  be 
gone  over  in  this  way;  gentleness  is  required  so  as  not 
to  break  the  gold,  and  smaller  pieces  should  be  cut  and 
used  where  needed.  When  all  the  ground  has  been 
laid  over,  the  leaf  is  cut  in  suitable  pieces  to  cover  the 
forms  of  the  ornament.  Great  care  must  be  taken  in 
wetting  the  former  that  the  pencil  does  not  touch  the 
parts  already  gilded,  for  that  will  mean  a  stain.  In 
laying  the  fillets  and  smaller  mouldings  the  gold 
should  be  used  the  length  of  the  leaf,  but  cut  the  width 
required  to  cover  the  space.  It  will  be  better  to  lay 
all  the  narrowest  parts  first,  going  on  to  the  wider  and 
gaining  experience,  so  as  to  be  able  to  use  a  whole 
leaf  on  the  hollow  moulding.  In  taking  up  a  whole 
leaf  with  the  large  tip,  the  tip  must  not  quite  take  up 
half  of  the  leaf,  so  as  to  be  able  to  lay  it  without 
break  in  the  hollow.  For  wetting  the  larger  parts,  the 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


171 

camel-hair  mop  should  be  used.  The  parts  laid  should 
be  burnished  within  two  or  three  hours  of  the  gold 
being  laid.  With  an  agate  or  flint  burnisher  sound 
the  part  laid  first — if  it  sounds  dull,  it  is  not  dry 
enough;  if  sharp,  it  is  dry  and  should  be  burnished  at 
once.  The  burnisher  must  be  used  lightly  and  across 
the  form.  If  everything  has  been  done  satisfactorily, 
the  burnisher  will  go  very  smoothly  and  softly.  The 
resultant  burnish  will  be  the  color  of  the  gold,  and 
not  dark,  as,  indeed,  one  may  say  black,  as  all  ordinary 
burnish  usually  is.  When  the  work  has  been 
burnished,  the  beginner  will,  no  doubt,  feel  distressed 
at  seeing  parts  where  the  gold  has  not  adhered,  but 
that  happens  to  all  gilders,  more  or  less,  depending  on 
the  worker’s  skill,  and  all  those  parts  must  be 
faulted,  using  a  smaller  pencil  to  wet  the  faults. 
When  done,  the  frame  should  sparkle  with  light  and 
shade,  full  of  life  and  having  a  depth  of  color  that  is 
absent  in  the  frames  gilded  in  the  ordinary  way. 

Gilding  Furniture. — Gold  leaf,  applied  to  articles  of 
furniture  as  a  means  of  decoration,  is  used  in  two  ways; 
it  is  applied  over  an  ordinary  varnish  or  other  finish, 
in  which  case  but  little  special  preparation  is 
necessary;  or,  as  when  used  for  picture  frames, 
cornices,  etc.,  it  is  applied  to  a  specially  prepared 
foundation,  the  basis  of  which  is  whiting,  mixed 
with  various  other  ingredients  suggested  by 
experience  or  fancy.  In  either  case,  the  gold  leaf  is 
caused  to  adhere  to  the  work  by  size  specially 
prepared  for  the  purpose,  recipes  for  which  follow 
herewith;  the  size  being  first  applied  to  the  work, 
and  when  it  has  become  of  the  right  consistency,  the 
gold  is  laid  upon  it.  Oil  gilding  and  burnish  gilding 
are  different  methods  used  to  obtain  certain  desired 


1 72 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


effects,  the  former  principally  for  articles  exposed  to 
the  weather,  and  for  heightening  the  effect  of  incised 
carving  or  engraving,  and  the  latter  for  picture 
frames  and  articles  having  a  specially  prepared 
foundation,  whose  entire  surface  is  to  be  gilded.  It 
is  intended  that  the  gold  shall  adhere  to  the  work 
only  in  the  places  to  which  the  size  has  been  applied,  but 
the  smallest  portion  of  oil  or  even  a  slight  dampness 
may  cause  the  gold  to  partially  adhere  to  the  adjoining 
surface,  resulting  in  slightly  ragged  edges;  to  prevent 
this,  before  applying  the  size  to  the  desired  design, 
the  entire  surface  is  covered  with  a  thin  film  of  some 
substance  perfectly  free  from  moisture,  and  easily 
removable  by  water,  after  completion  of  the  process. 

The  Requisites. — First,  a  sufficient  quantity  of  leaf 
gold,  which  is  of  two  sorts,  the  deep  gold,  as  it  is 
called,  and  the  pale  gold.  The  former  is  the  best; 
the  latter  very  useful,  and  may  occasionally  be 
introduced  for  variety  or  effect. 

Second,  a  gilder’s  cushion:  an  oblong  piece  of  wood, 
covered  with  rough  calfskin,  stuffed  with  flannel 
several  times  doubled,  with  a  border  of  parchment, 
about  four  inches  deep,  at  one  end,  to  prevent  the 
air  blowing  the  leaves  about  when  placed  on  the 
cushion. 

Thirdly,  a  gilding  knife,  with  a  straight  and  very 
smooth  edge,  to  cut  the  gold. 

Fourthly,  several  camel-hair  pencils  in  sizes,  and 
tips,  made  of  a  few  long  camel’s  hairs  put  between 
two  cards,  in  the  same  manner  as  hairs  are  put  into 
tin  cases  for  brushes,  thus  making  a  flat  brush  with  a 
very  few  hairs. 

Lastly,  a  burnisher,  which  is  a  crooked  piece  of 
agate  set  in  a  long  wooden  handle. 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


173 


Sizes. — These  are  of  two  kinds:  oil  sizes  are  those 
which,  when  applied,  present  an  adhesive  surface, 
requiring  the  immediate  laying  of  the  gold  leaf  upon 
it;  of  this  class  is  the  oil  size  commonly  used  in 
decorating  furniture;  water  sizes  are  those  that  are 
allowed  to  become  dry  and  hard  when  applied,  and 
are  rendered  adhesive  when  the  gold  is  to  be  laid,  by 
brushing  over  with  water;  for  burnish  gilding  these 
are  always  employed,  as  oil  size  does  not  dry 
sufficiently  hard  to  permit  of  burnishing. 

Oil  Size  for  Oil  Gilding. — Grind  calcined  red  ocher 
with  the  best  and  oldest  drying  oil.  When  desired 
for  use,  add  sufficient  oil  of  turpentine  to  make  it 
work  freely. 

Parchment  Size. — For  preparing  frames,  etc.  To  half 
a  pound  of  parchment  shavings,  or  cuttings  of  white 
leather,  add  three  quarts  of  water,  and  boil  it  in  a 
proper  vessel  till  reduced  to  nearly  half  the  quantity; 
then  take  it  off  the  fire,  and  strain  it  through  a  sieve. 
Be  careful  in  the  boiling  to  keep  it  well  stirred,  and 
do  not  let  burn. 

Gold  Size  for  Burnish  Gilding. — Grind  fine  sal- 
ammoniac  well  with  a  muller  and  stone;  scrape  into 
it  a  little  beef  suet,  and  grind  all  wet  together;  after 
which,  mix  in  with  a  pallet  knife  a  small  proportion 
of  parchment  size  with  a  double  proportion  of  water. 
When  about  to  use,  add  parchment  size  until  it  will 
just  flow  from  the  brush. 

Another. — Grind  a  lump  of  tobacco  pipe  clay  into 
a  very  stiff  paste  with  thin  size;  add  a  small  quantity 
of  ruddle  and  fine  black  lead,  ground  very  fine,  and 
temper  the  whole  with  a  small  piece  of  tallow. 
When  ready  to  use,  reduce  with  parchment  size  until 
it  will  just  flow  from  the  brush. 


174 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


Another.  —  Grind  separately  in  water,  I  pound 
Armenian  bole,  2  ounces  red  lead,  a  sufficient  quantity 
of  black  lead;  mix,  and  regrind  with  a  small  quantity 
of  olive  oil.  Reduce  with  parchment  size  to  the 
proper  consistency. 

To  Prevent  Gold  Adhering. — Either  one  of  the  follow¬ 
ing  methods  will  prevent  gold  leaf  or  bronze  from 
adhering  to  the  surface  beyond  the  outlines  of  the 
sizing  laid  on  to  receive  it: 

1.  Whiting  used  dry,  and  applied  by  means  of  a 
pounce  bag. 

2.  Whiting  mixed  in  water,  and  applied  with  a 
soft  brush.  When  the  water  has  evaporated,  dust 
off  the  superfluous  whiting  with  an  ordinary  paint 
duster.  By  this  method  a  very  thin  coating  of  whiting 
remains,  which  is  free  from  any  grittiness.  One 
advantage  gained  by  the  use  of  whiting  thus  applied 
is,  it  furnishes  a  whitish  ground  over  which  clear 
varnish  or  oil  size  may  be  distinctly  seen  as  the 
striping  progresses.  After  the  leaf  or  bronze  has  been 
applied,  the  work  must  be  carefully  washed,  so  as  to 
insure  the  removal  of  the  whiting. 

3.  White  of  egg  reduced  with  water,  and  applied 
with  a  piece  of  sponge. 

4.  A  thin  wash  of  starch  water,  either  brushed  on 
with  a  flat  camel-hair  brush,  or  applied  with  a  soft 
sponge. 

5.  Take  ball  liquorice  and  water,  a  weak  solution, 
and  apply  with  a  soft  brush.  This  may  be  kept  in  a 
bottle  ready  for  use  at  any  time. 

6.  Cut  a  new  potato  in  two,  and  rub  over  the  part  to 
be  sized  with  the  raw  face  exposed,  allowing  the 
juice  to  remain  until  dry. 

It  will  be  observed  that  any  substance  which  inter- 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


175 

poses  a  film  over  the  varnish,  itself  being  free  from 
tackiness  and  readily  removed  by  water,  will  answer 
the  purpose. 

Oil  Gilding. — Applying  the  gold.— If  the  wood  to  be 
gilded  is  finished  with  varnish  or  otherwise,  no 
additional  foundation  is  necessary  upon  which  to  lay 
the  gold  leaf;  if  the  wood  is  not  finished,  after  it  has 
been  smoothed  and  dusted,  give  it  one  or  two  coats 
of  parchment  size,  after  it  is  perfectly  dry  and  hard, 
again  smoothing  the  surface  with  fine  sandpaper. 
That  the  gold  may  not  adhere  to  any  part  of  the  work 
except  where  the  size  is  hard,  powder  the  surface 
lightly  with  whiting  from  a  pounce  bag,  which  is  a 
small  bag  made  of  material  sufficiently  loose  to  permit 
the  powdered  whiting  to  sift  through  as  fine  dust;  if 
preferred,  any  of  the  preceding  recipes  for  that 
purpose  can  be  used  instead.  Remove  the  surplus 
whiting  with  the  dusting  brush,  and  the  work  is  then 
ready  for  the  size.  Apply  this  with  a  sable  or  fit  brush 
of  the  proper  size,  carefully  observing  to  make  the 
outer  lines  of  the  design  clear  and  ‘sharp,  that  the 
work  may  not  appear  ragged.  Let  the  size  remain 
until  it  feels  tacky,  when  the  gold  may  be  applied. 
This  is  the  most  difficult  part  of  the  operation,  and 
experience  is  necessary  before  gold  leaf  can  be  laid 
smoothly  without  a  wrinkle  or  a  break.  Turn  a  leaf 
of  gold  out  of  the  book  upon  the  cushion;  breathe 
gently  upon  the  center  of  the  leaf  and  it  will  lie  flat 
on  the  cushion;  cut  it  to  the  proper  size  by  bringing 
the  knife  perpendicularly  over  it,  and  sawing  it  gently 
until  divided.  Take  your  tip  (a  brush  used  for  the 
purpose)  and  after  drawing  it  lightly  over  your  hair 
to  remove  any  particles  or  dust  that  may  be  upon  it, 
breathe  upon  it  gently,  which  will  dampen  it 


176 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


sufficiently  to  cause  the  leaf  of  gold  to  adhere  to  it; 
lay  the  tip  upon  the  leaf  of  gold  and  carefully 
transfer  it  to  the  work;  blow  upon  it  gently  and  it  will 
straighten  out  and  adhere.  It  may  be  rendered  quite 
smooth  by  slightly  dabbing  it  with  a  bit  of  cotton. 
In  about  an  hour  wash  off  the  superfluous  gold  from 
the  edges,  with  a  sponge  and  water.  If  the  article  is 
to  be  exposed  to  the  weather  or  much  wear,  the 
gilding  may  be  varnished  with  copal  varnish. 

Burnish  Gilding. — As  previously  stated,  this  process 
requires  a  specially  prepared  foundation  upon  which 
to  lay  the  gold,  and  as  the  preparation  of  this 
foundation  is  a  distinct  trade,  the  furniture  dealer  or 
cabinetmaker  seldom  finds  it  necessary  to  undertake 
it,  the  articles  coming  to  his  hand  ready-prepared  for 
gilding;  but  as  in  repairing  picture  frames,  cornices, 
mirror  frames,  etc.,  it  frequently  becomes  necessary 
to  renew  the  foundation,  a  comprehensive  description 
of  the  whole  process  is  given. 

Preparing  the  Woodwork. — After  smoothing  and 
dusting  the  work,  coat  the  frames  in  every  part  with 
boiling-hot  parchment  size,  as  previously  described, 
then  mix  a  sufficient  quantity  of  whiting  with  size  to 
the  consistency  of  thick  cream,  and  with  it  by  means 
of  a  brush,  coat  every  part  of  the  frame  several  times, 
permitting  each  coat  to  become  perfectly  dry  before 
proceeding  with  the  next.  The  wood  will  thus  be 
covered  with  a  layer  of  hard  whiting  nearly  or  quite  a 
sixteenth  of  an  inch  in  thickness.  The  size  must  not 
be  too  thick,  and  when  mixed  with  the  whiting  should 
not  be  so  hot  as  the  preliminary  coat  of  size. 

Polishing. — When  the  preparations  are  quite  dry, 
clean  and  polish  them.  To  do  this,  wet  a  small  piece 
at  a  time,  and,  with  a  smooth,  fine  piece  of  cloth, 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


1 77 


dipped  in  water,  rub  the  part  till  all  the  bumps  and 
inequalities  are  removed;  and  for  those  parts  where 
the  fingers  will  not  enter,  as  the  mouldings,  etc.,  wind 
the  wet  cloth  round  a  piece  of  wood,  and  by  this 
means  make  the  surface  all  smooth  and  even  alike. 

Where  there  is  carved  work,  etc.,  it  will  sometimes 
be  necessary  to  bring  the  mouldings  to  their  original 
sharpness  by  means  of  chisels,  gouges,  etc.,  as  the 
preparation  will  be  apt  to  fill  up  all  the  finer  parts  of 
the  work,  which  must  be  thus  restored.  It  is  some¬ 
times  the  practice,  after  polishing,  to  go  over  the 
work  once  with  fine  yellow  or  Roman  ocher;  but  this 
is  rarely  necessary. 

Applying  the  Size. — Select  the  proper  gold  size  from 
the  recipes  previously  given;  add  parchment  size  until 
it  will  just  flow  from  the  brush;  make  it  quite  hot, 
and  apply  it  to  the  wood  with  a  very  soft  brush, 
taking  care  not  to  make  the  first  coat  too  thick;  let 
it  dry  and  give  two  or  three  successive  coats,  after  the 
last  brushing  it  with  a  stiff  brush  to  remove  any 
inequalities.  The  work  is  then  ready  for  the  gold. 

Laying  the  Gold. — The  manipulation  of  the  gold  leaf 
has  been  described  under  the  heading  Oil  Gilding.  In 
the  paint  now  being  described,  size  used  (being  water 
size,  which,  as  previously  explained,  is  permitted  to 
become  hard  and  dry  after  being  applied)  must  be 
moistened  to  cause  the  gold  leaf  to  adhere  to  it.  For 
this  purpose,  with  a  long-haired  camel-hair  pencil, 
dipped  in  water,  go  over  as  much  of  the  work  as  you 
intend  the  piece  of  gold  to  cover;  then  lay  the  gold 
upon  it  in  the  manner  previously  explained.  Be  sure 
that  the  part  to  which  the  gold  is  applied  is 
sufficiently  wet;  indeed,  it  must  be  floating,  or  the 
gold  will  be  apt  to  crack.  Proceed  in  this  manner  a 


1 78 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


little  at  a  time,  and  do  not  attempt  to  cover  too  much 
at  once,  until  by  experience  you  are  going  to  handle 
the  gold  with  freedom. 

Burnishing.— When  the  work  is  covered  with  gold, 
set  it  by  to  dry;  there  is  a  particular  state  or  degree 
of  dryness,  known  only  by  experience,  in  which  the 
moulding  is  in  a  fit  state  for  burnishing;  it  will  ' 
probably  be  ready  to  burnish  in  about  eight  or  ten 
hours,  but  it  will  depend  on  the  warmth  of  the  room 
or  state  of  the  air. 

When  it  is  ready,  those  parts  intended  to  be 
burnished  must  be  dusted  with  a  soft  brush;  then, 
wiping  the  burnisher  with  a  piece  of  soft  wash-leather 
(quite  dry),  begin  to  burnish  about  an  inch  or  two  in 
length  at  a  time,  taking  care  not  to  bear  too  hard,  but 
with  a  gentle  and  quick  motion,  applying  the  tool 
until  all  the  parts  of  the  surface  are  equally  bright. 

Matting  or  Dead  Gold. —Certain  portions  only  of  the 
work  are  burnished,  according  to  the  fancy,  and  the 
facility  with  which  the  burnishing  tool  can  be  applied; 
the  remaining  parts  are  now  to  be  deprived  of  their 
metallic  luster,  to  make  a  more  effective  contrast  with 
the  burnishing.  The  parts  thus  treated  are  said  to  be 
matted  or  dead  gold.  The  process  is  as  follows: 

Grind  some  vermilion  or  yellow  ocher  very  fine, 
and  mix  a  very  small  portion  either  with  the  parch¬ 
ment  size  or  with  the  white  of  an  egg,  and  with  a  very 
soft  brush  lay  it  evenly  on  the  parts  to  be  dulled;  if 
well  done,  it  will  add  greatly  to  the  beauty  of  the 
work.  Previous  to  matting,  the  work  must  be  well 
cleared  of  superfluous  gold,  by  means  of  a  soft  brush. 

Finishing. — In  elaborate  works  it  is  frequently 
impossible  to  lay  gold  leaf  into  all  the  intricacies  of 
an  elaborate  design,  and  the  parts  thus  left  bare  must 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


179 


be  finished  by  touching  up  with  a  small  brush  charged 
with  shell  gold,  or  gold  powder,  mixed  with  gum 
Arabic  to  the  proper  consistency.  The  following 
recipe  describes  the  preparation  of  shell  gold: 

Shelled  Gold. — Take  any  quantity  of  leaf  gold  and 
grind  it  with  a  small  portion  of  honey,  to  a  fine 
powder,  add  a  little  gum  arabic  and  sugar  candy,  with 
a  little  water,  and  mix  it  well  together;  let  it  dry. 

Silver  Size. — Grind  pipe  clay  fine  with  a  little  black 
lead  and  good  soap,  and  add  parchment  size  as 
directed  for  gold  size. 

Composition  for  Frame  Ornaments. — The  ornaments 
for  gilded  mirror  frames,  etc.,  are  usually  moulded 
from  some  plastic  substance  that  is  somewhat 
tougher  and  more  durable  than  the  ordinary  gilding 
foundation  of  whiting  and  size.  The  proper  moulds 
being  prepared,  they  are  thoroughly  rubbed  upon  the 
inside  with  sweet  oil,  and  the  composition  firmly 
pressed  in;  after  removing  the  mould  the  cast  may  be 
dried  by  a  gentle  heat,  or  while  still  plastic  it  can  be 
applied  in  its  proper  place  and  bent  into  any  position. 
Following  are  recipes  for  composition: 

Dissolve  I  pound  of  glue  in  1  gallon  of  water.  In 
another  kettle  boil  together  2  pounds  of  resin,  1  gill 
of  Venice  turpentine,  and  1  pint  of  linseed  oil;  mix 
all  together  in  one  kettle,  and  boil  and  stir  till  the  water 
has  evaporated.  Turn  the  whole  into  a  tub  of  finely 
rolled  whiting,  and  work  till  it  is  the  consistency  of 
dough. 

Boil  7  pounds  of  best  glue  in  7  half  pints  of  water. 
Melt  3  pounds  of  white  resin  in  3  pints  of  raw  linseed 
oil.  When  the  above  has  been  well  boiled  put  them 
into  a  large  vessel  and  simmer  them  for  half  an  hour, 
stirring  the  mixture  and  taking  care  that  it  does  not 


180  THE  UP-TO-DATE 

boil  over.  The  whole  must  then  be  turned  into  a 
box  of  whiting  rolled  and  sifted,  and  mixed  till  it  is 
of  the  consistency  of  dough. 

To  Manipulate  Gold  Leaf. — Get  a  piece  of  paper,  thin 
enough  to  show  shadow  of  gold  leaf  through,  slightly 
wax  it,  lay  it  on  gold  leaf;  the  latter  will  then  adhere, 
and  can  be  easily  worked  and  will  come  off  clean. 
The  paper  should  be  slightly  larger  than  the  gold 
leaf,  and  the  fingers  passed  over  the  paper  to  make 
the  gold  leaf  adhere. 

Bronzing. — This  is  a  process  for  imitating  on  metal, 
plaster,  wood,  or  other  material,  the  peculiar 
appearance  produced  by  chemical  action  upon  the 
surface  of  bronze  metal.  It  is  accomplished  by 
spreading  over  the  surface  of  the  material  to  be 
ornamented  a  very  thin  coating  of  bronze  powder, 
which  is  caused  to  adhere  either  by  applying  it 
directly  upon  a  coating  of  any  of  the  sizes  mentioned 
in  the  foregoing  pages,  or  by  mixing  with  a  vehicle, 
such  as  gum  arabic  or  transparent  varnish.  The 
latter  is  most  desirable,  as  in  the  other  case,  being 
subject  to  the  direct  action  of  the  atmosphere,  the 
bronze  powder  soon  tarnishes.  In  ornamenting 
furniture,  bronzing  is  generally  employed  to  represent 
gilding,  a  variety  of  bronze  called  gold  bronze  being 
used,  which  affords  an  excellent  imitation,  but  is  not 
very  lasting.  It  is  usually  applied  after  the  com¬ 
pletion  of  the  other  finishing  processes,  the  ground 
work  being  prepared  in  the  manner  described  under 
Oi1  Gilding,  and  the  size  likewise  applied  as  there 
described.  A  small  wad  of  cotton  batting  is  then 
dipped  in  the  bronze  and  passed  gently  over  the  sized 
portions,  causing  the  bronze  to  adhere.  In  the  other 
method— that  of  applying  the  bronze  by  means  of  a 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER  181 

vehicle — the  preliminaries  of  whiting  the  ground  and 
sizing  are  not  necessary,  a  small  quantity  of  bronze 
being  simply  mixed  with  the  vehicle  employed  to 
such  a  degree  of  fluidity  that  it  will  flow  easily,  and 
in  that  condition  applied  with  a  fine  brush.  Many 
preparations  are  used  as  vehicles,  such  as  transparent 
varnish  thinned  with  turpentine,  gum  arabic  dis¬ 
solved  in  water,  and  gold  size  reduced  with  parchment 
size.  There  are  a  variety  of  colors  in  bronze  powders, 
and  to  produce  the  best  effect  the  size  or  vehicle 
should  be  of  a  color  similar  to  that  of  the  bronze 
used;  in  gold  size  the  coloring  pigment  is  ocher,  and 
in  its  place,  for  green  bronze,  or  blue  bronze,  may  be 
employed  respectively  verditer,  vermilion  or  Prussian 
blue,  a  very  small  quantity  being  sufficient.  In 
bronzing  on  painted  work  the  ground  should  be  as 
nearly  as  possible  the  color  of  the  bronze  to  be 
applied. 

Banana  Solution. — The  so-called  “banana  solution” 
(the  name  being  derived  from  its  odor)  which  is  used 
in  applying  bronzes  of  various  kinds  is  usually  a 
mixture  of  equal  parts  of  amyl  acetate,  acetone  and 
benzine,  with  just  enough  pyroxylin  dissolved  therein 
to  give  it  sufficient  body.  Powdered  bronze  is  put 
into  a  bottle  containing  this  mixture  and  the  paint  so 
formed  applied  with  a  brush  to  the  article  to  be 
bronzed.  The  thin  covering  of  pyroxylin  that  is  left 
after  the  evaporation  of  the  liquid  protects  the  bronze 
from  the  air  and  keeps  it  from  being  wiped  off  by  the 
cleanly  housemaid.  Tarnished  picture  frames  and 
tarnished  chandeliers  to  which  a  gold  bronze  has  been 
applied  from  such  a  solution  will  look  fresh  and  new 
for  a  long  time.  Copper  bronze  as  well  as  gold  bronze 
and  the  various  colored  bronze  powders  can  be  used 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


182 

in  the  “banana  solution’’  for  making  very  pretty 
advertising  signs  for  use  in  the  drug  store.  Lettering 
and  bordering  work  upon  the  signs  can  be  done  with 
it.  Several  stiff,  very  small  painter’s  brushes  are 
needed  for  such  work  and  they  must  be  either  kept  in 
the  solution  when  not  in  use,  or,  better  still,  washed  in 
benzine  or  acetone  immediately  after  use  and  put  away 
for  future  service.  It  is  needless  to  add  that  as  the 
“banana  solution’’  is  volatile  it  must  be  kept  well 
corked. 


STAINING  WOODWORK  WITH  ACIDS 

For  staining  wood  brown,  sulphuric  acid,  more  or 
less  diluted,  according  to  the  depth  of  stain  desired,  is 
applied  to  the  wood,  previously  cleaned  and  dried 
with  a  brush,  and  when  the  acid  has  acted  enough  its 
further  action  is  arrested  by  the  application  of  liquid 
ammonia.  „ 

To  age  oak  artificially,  liquid  ammonia  is  laid  on 
with  a  rag  or  brush,  which  does  the  work  rapidly  and 
effectually. 

To  darken  cherry,  rub  it  over  with  nitric  acid  of  1.2 
specific  gravity,  and  after  permitting  it  to  stand  for 
twelve  hours,  wash  and  dry  thoroughly.  Nitric  acid 
gives  a  permanent  yellow  stain,  which  may  be  con¬ 
verted  into  dark  brown  by  subsequent  application  of 
tincture  of  iodine. 

A  hot,  concentrated  solution  of  picric  acid  gives  a 
very  fine  yellow  effect.  Aqua  fortis,  diluted  with 
three  times  its  own  weight  of  rain-water,  brushed  over 
the  wood,  gives  a  more  true  yellow  effect  than  the 
undiluted  nitric  acid  (aqua  fortis). 

A  bright  golden  yellow  stain  is  made  by  digesting 
y2  ounce  of  powdered  madder  for  twelve  hours  in  2 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


1 33 


ounces  of  sulphuric  acid  and  then  filtering  through 
cloth.  The  articles  to  be  stained  should  be  immersed 
in  the  fluid  for  three  or  four  days. 

ON  HARDWOOD  FLOORS 

The  finish  and  care  of  hardwood  or  parquette  floors 
has  been  and  is  now  a  source  of  great  trouble  and 
annoyance  to  housekeepers.  In  many  cases  where 
beautiful  floors  have  been  laid,  they  have  been  left  to 
be  finished  by  persons  who  have  not  troubled  them¬ 
selves  with  finding  out  the  best  method  of  finishing, 
and  the  usual  way  for  such  persons  to  do  is  to  treat 
them  with  shellac  or  varnish,  says  a  writer  in  one  of 
our  exchanges.  This  is  all  wrong,  as  a  moment’s 
thought  will  convince  any  one  that  a  surface  that  is 
constantly  walked  over  needs  something  different  from 
the  coating  of  gum  that  is  left  on  the  surface  after 
the  spirit  used  in  dissolving  the  shellac  or  varnish  is 
evaporated.  This  coating  then  becomes  brittle,  and 
is  ground  up  into  minute  particles  by  the  nails  in  the 
boots  and  swept  away,  leaving  the  wood  bare,  right 
where  it  is  most  exposed  to  view. 

As  a  matter  of  course,  the  beauty  of  the  floor  is  soon 
gone,  and  instead  of  being  an  attractive  part  of  the 
furnishing,  the  sanitary  consideration  very  often  is 
about  all  that  keeps  one  from  nailing  a  carpet  over  the 
whole  floor.  Others  use  linseed  oil,  and  everybody 
knows  that  an  oil  finish  is  one  of  the  best  methods  of 
finishing  wood,  but  the  objection  is,  that  each  time 
the  oil  is  applied  it  darkens  the  wood,  and  in  a  sho*"t 
time  the  different  kinds  of  wood  are  of  the  same  color. 

Now  the  question  arises,  which  is  the  true  and  only 
way  of  finishing  floors  properly?  And  the  answer  is, 
by  the  use  of  hard  wax,  which,  however,  must  be  so 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


184 

prepared  that  the  trouble  of  applying  it  and  the 
stickiness  attending  ordinary  beeswax  and  turpentine 
are  entirely  obviated.  The  wax  is  treated  with  special 
liquids  and  made  into  a  preparation. 

Among  the  many  different  things  tried,  hard  wax 
was  found  to  be  the  most  satisfactory  in  its  results. 
It  is  so  simple,  that  when  once  the  floor  has  been 
properly  filled  and  finished  with  it,  any  servant  can 
renew  and  keep  the  floors  fresh  and  bright  as  long  as 
the  wood  lasts,  and  as  it  does  not  materially  change 
the  color,  the  wood  always  retains  its  beauty.  An 
application  about  once  a  year  is  all  that  is  necessary, 
if  the  floors  are  rubbed  over,  when  a  little  dull,  with  a 
weighted  brush  or  cloth. 

In  repolishing  old  floors  that  have  been  in  use  for  a 
length  of  time  and  become  dull  looking,  it  is  only 
necessary,  after  they  have  been  cleaned,  to  rub  on  a 
thin  coat  of  the  hard  wax  finish  with  the  brush  or 
cloth,  as  stated  above.  If  the  floors  have  been 
varnished  and  the  varnish  is  worn  off  in  places,  as 
mentioned  above,  the  best  way  is  to  have  the  varnish 
scraped  off,  and  then  a  thin  coat  of  the  hard  wax 
should  be  applied  and  treated  as  the  new  wood  after 
it  is  filled.  But  if  it  is  inconvenient  to  have  the  floor 
scraped,  or  the  expense  too  much,  the  main  object 
being  to  restore  the  color  in  those  places  which  are 
worn  and  defaced,  the  following  mixture  is  recom¬ 
mended:  One  part  linseed  oil,  1  part  liquid  dryer  and 
2  parts  turpentine;  a  cloth  should  be  dampened  with 
this  and  applied  to  the  worn  and  defaced  places,  which 
will  have  the  desired  effect.  After  being  wiped 
off  clean,  it  ought  to  dry  twenty-four  hours,  and  then 
be  polished  with  the  hard  wax  finish.  It  is  very 
important  never  to  use  the  wax  over  oil  that  is  not 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER  185 

thoroughly  dry,  as  the  floor  would  invariably  be 
sticky. 

Finally,  it  would  be  well  to  mention  that  hardwood 
or  parquette  floors  should  never  be  washed  with  soap 
and  water,  as  it  raises  the  grain  and  discolors  the 
wood.  After  the  floors  have  been  properly  filled  and 
finished  with  the  hard  wax,  dirt  will  not  get  into  the 
pores,  but  stays  on  the  surface  and  consequently  can 
be  removed  with  a  brush  or  cloth,  or,  if  necessary, 
dampen  cloth  with  a  little  turpentine.  This  will  take 
off  any  stain  from  the  finish. 

An  excellent  method  of  waxing  floors  is  as  follows: 
Take  1  pound  of  the  best  beeswax,  cut  it  up  into  very 
small  pieces  and  let  it  thoroughly  dissolve  in  3  pints 
of  turpentine,  stirring  occasionally,  if  necessary.  The 
mixture  should  be  only  a  trifle  thicker  than  the  clear 
turpentine.  Apply  with  a  rag  to  the  surface  of  the 
floor,  which  should  be  perfectly  clean.  This  is  the 
difficult  part  of  the  work;  for  if  too  much  or  too  little 
is  put  on  a  good  polish  is  impossible.  The  right 
amount  varies,  less  being  required  for  a  hard,  close- 
grained  wood,  and  more  if  the  wood  is  soft  and  open¬ 
grained.  Try  a  square  foot  or  two  at  first.  Put  on 
what  you  think  will  be  enough,  and  leave  the  place 
untouched  and  unstepped  on  for  twenty-four  hours,  or 
longer,  if  needful.  When  thoroughly  dry,  rub  with  a 
hand  brush.  If  it  polishes  well,  repeat  the  whole  proc¬ 
ess  over  the  entire  floor.  If  it  does  not,  remove  the 
wax  with  fine  sandpaper,  and  lay  again,  using  more  or 
less  than  before,  as  may  be  necessary,  and  continue 
experimenting  until  the  desired  result  is  secured.  If 
the  mixture  is  slow  in  drying,  add  one  part  japan  to 
six  of  turpentine. 

Birch  makes  an  entirely  satisfactory  floor  for  dancing, 


THE  UP  -  TO  -  D/YTE 


1 86 

as  well  as  for  kindred  uses.  It  is  easily  brought  to  a 
smooth  surface  and  a  fine  polish,  and  is  of  a  rich 
amber  color  of  an  even  shade.  In  addition,  it  has  that 
rare  elasticity  and  resiliency  that  make  it  alike  delight¬ 
ful  for  walking  and  dancing.  It  costs  about  io  cents 
laid,  and  is  in  no  way  a  disappointment  to  those  using  it. 

What  is  said  of  birch  applies  equally  well  to  hard 
maple,  both  the  white  and  the  red  varieties,  the  white 
being  that  chosen  for  floors,  and  is  the  lightest-colored 
of  the  woods  so  used.  It  is  very  hard,  takes  readily  a 
fine  polish;  the  boards  are  not  liable  to  warp,  but, 
unfortunately,  require  the  very  closest  care  in  the 
drying  to  prevent  shrinkage  when  laid.  It  is  lasting, 
and  is  but  little  affected  by  water.  Only  beech, 
hickory  and  white  oak  approach  it  in  lightness  of 
color.  Hickory  has  sterling  qualities,  too  generally 
appreciated  to  need  detailed  discussion  of  its  intrinsic 
worth,  yet  it  is  sadly  neglected  when  the  question  of 
flooring  is  under  consideration.  Perhaps  this  is  due 
to  the  difficulty  with  which  it  is  laid.  It  is  an  open- 
grain  wood,  but  takes  polish  with  ease. 

Beech  makes  almost  an  ideal  floor,  light-colored  and 
hard,  and  has  the  rare  quality  of  wearing  smoother 
with  age;  at  times  it  is  found  beautifully  bird’s-eyed. 
In  the  Southern  States  it  grows  in  the  greatest  profusion 
in  the  swamps  and  lower  woods,  but  is  unappreciated, 
only  enough  being  preserved  for  use  in  making  plane 
stocks  and  other  tools  requiring  a  hard,  durable  wood 
that  does  not  shrink,  warp  or  split.  It  could  be  laid 
for  20  cents  per  foot.  And  along  with  it  goes  apple, 
which  polishes  to  a  rich,  delicate  amber  color;  the  cost 
being  about  the  same  as  beech,  but  the  apple  wood 
has  the  tremendous  disadvantage  of  not  being  obtain¬ 
able  in  large  boards, 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


187 

The  laying  of  a  hardwood  floor  requires  not  only  a 
good  carpenter,  but  an  expert  judge  of  woods,  and  of 
the  individual  boards,  because  only  by  carefully 
selecting  and  placing  like  planks  can  we  get  a 
permanently  even  surface.  Suppose  a  plank  of  heart 
and  one  of  sap  should  be  placed  side  by  side;  no 
matter  what  the  wood,  when  a  rainy  season  may  come 
the  sap  will  swell  more  and  rise  above  the  heart. 
Even  when  they  come  from  like  relative  positions  in 
two  like  trees,  their  texture  may  differ  so  widely  as  to 
make  them  undesirable  companions.  In  spite  of  the 
nicest  workmanship  and  the  best  judgment  in  select¬ 
ing,  some  inequalities  of  surface  will  be  present  till 
removed  by  the  most  thorough  sandpapering.  This 
should  be  done  with  enough  care  to  avoid  scratching; 
then  comes  the  polishing. 

To  get  the  best  results,  hardwood  floors  should  be 
laid  after  the  building  is  thoroughly  dry,  and  in  case 
of  new  building  it  should  be  the  last  work  done. 

Care  should  be  taken  that  the  surface  on  which  the 
floor  is  laid  is  clean  and  smooth.  Drive  the  flooring 
well  up  and  be  careful  not  to  break  the  tongue. 

Seven-eighths-inch  flooring  should  be  nailed  with 
2y2-inch  special  flooring  nail.  For  ^4-inch  flooring 
i^-inch  finishing  nail,  No.  15,  will  be  found  about 
right. 

An  oak  floor  after  being  laid  should  be  evenly 
cleaned  off  and  sandpapered  until  perfectly  smooth. 
It  must  then  be  filled  with  what  is  known  as  “wood 
filler,’’  and  allowed  to  stand  for  six  to  ten  hours.  This 
filler  can  be  made  any  shade  desired. 

If  a  wax  finish  is  desired,  apply  two  light  coats  of 
white  floor  shellac.  Let  the  first  coat  stand  one  hour 
before  putting  on  the  second.  After  the  second  coat 


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1 88 

has  stood  for  two  hours,  sandpaper  with  No.  o  sand¬ 
paper  and  the  floor  is  ready  for  the  wax,  an  article 
made  expressly  for  this  purpose  and  ready  for  use. 

Put  the  wax  on  as  thin  as  possible  and  let  it  stand 
for  half  an  hour,  then  with  a  rubbing  brush  rub  across 
the  grain  of  the  wood  and  again  lengthways  until  the 


Fig.  117 


brush  slips  easily,  then  take  a  piece  of  soft  carpet  and 
rub  until  the  desired  polish  is  obtained. 

For  maple,  birch,  or  other  close-grain  woods,  use 
the  same  process,  omitting  the  “wood  filler  ’’ 

Estimate  of  Material  Required. — For  laying  and  finish¬ 
ing  3/q  flooring  per  ioo  feet  surface:  ioo  feet  ^4  floor¬ 
ing,  2)4  pounds  finishing  brads  No.  15,  3)4  pounds 
wood  filler  (for  oak  only),  3  pints  shellac,  )4  pound 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER  189 

floor  wax.  For  Tfo  flooring,  6  pounds  2j^-inch  flooring 
nails  will  be  sufficient  per  too  feet. 

A  weighted  brush  with  a  long  handle  is  generally 
employed  for  polishing  a  wax-finished  floor,  similar  to 
the  one  shown  in  Fig.  117.  The  wax  is  applied  with  a 
rag  or  brush,  after  the  filler  has  been  properly  rubbed 
down  and  all  is  hard  and  dry.  The  weighted  brush  is 
then  rubbed  over  the  surface  to  and  fro  until  the 
desired  polish  is  attained. 

Stained  Floors. — A  floor  stained  to  represent  dark 
old  oak  is  preferred  by  many.  The  mixture  for 
accomplishing  this  is  sold  at  all  paint  shops,  and 
comes  in  grades  1,  2,  3,  and  4,  varying  from  light  to 
dark.  If  the  boards  are  smooth  and  fine-grained,  a 
satin  wood  or  pitch  pine  stain  or  polish  is  preferred; 
but  if  the  floor  is  old  or  rough  it  is  folly  to  attempt 
any  stain  except  that  of  dark  oak  or  dark  mahogany. 
Some  of  the  mixtures  used  for  this  can  be  put  on  with 
a  rag,  although  a  brush  is  better.  Pour  the  liquid  into  a 
saucer,  dip  the  brush  in,  saturate  thoroughly,  rub  evenly 
over  the  wood,  and  dry  instantly  with  a  soft  cloth. 

For  the  ultra-fashionable  floor,  which  is  of  a  pale 
shade  of  oak,  sized  and  varnished,  buy  the  desired 
amount  of  raw  sienna  powder;  mix  with  water,  and 
rub  into  the  boards  as  directed  above.  Mahogany 
staining:  Make  a  mixture  containing  pound  of 
madder,  2  ounces  of  logwood  chips,  boiled  in  I  gallon 
of  water;  brush  this  over  the  wood  while  hot.  When 
dry,  go  over  this  with  a  solution  of  pearlash,  2  drachms 
to  1  of  water,  size  and  polish.  If  a  redder  shade  is 
required,  it  can  be  produced  by  smearing  the  surface 
with  a  strong  solution  of  permanganate  of  potash, 
which  is  left  on  for  five  minutes.  The  wood  is  then 
carefully  washed,  dried  and  polished. 


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190 

A  good  cheap  oak  stain  is  made  of  equal  parts  of 
potash  and  pearlash,  2  ounces  of  each  to  a  quart  of 
water.  As  potash  is  a  solvent,  care  must  be  taken  to 
keep  it  from  the  hands;  and  an  old  brush  should  be 
used. 

For  other  stains  and  methods  of  applying  them,  see 
recipes  described  in  previous  pages,  where  stains  for 
nearly  all  purposes  are  given. 

MISCELLANEOUS  MATTERS 

Floor  Polish. — Cut  beeswax  into  small  pieces,  or  else 
grate  it  up;  add  turpentine,  and  allow  the  mixture  to 
stand  for  twelve  hours;  then  heat  it  over  the  fire  till 
it  dissolves.  Care  must  be  taken  not  to  heat  the 
mixture  too  hot,  and  also  the  flame  must  not  come  too 
near,  for  explosive  vapors  are  generated,  which  are 
liable  to  catch  fire. 

Dull  Polish  on  Stained  Whitewood. — The  dull  polish 
that  is  seen  on  most  furniture  is  obtained  by  partly 
French  polishing  the  article,  and  then  removing  any 
apparent  shine  or  gloss  by  well  brushing  the  surface 
over  with  medium  grade  pumice-powder  or  fine  emery; 
or  the  stained  wood  might  be  coated  with  spirit 
varnish.  In  the  absence  of  details  as  to  the  purpose 
for  which  the  stained  wood  is  to  be  used,  no  other 
procedure  can  be  suggested.  Stained  floor-boards,  for 
instance,  would  not  require  French  polishing,  nor 
even  spirit  varnishing,  because  a  suitable  polish  can 
be  readily  obtained  by  using  beeswax  dissolved  in 
turpentine,  applied  with  a  weighted  brush.  On  the 
other  hand,  on  furniture  goods  French  polish  serves 
a  double  purpose;  the  polish  partly  fills  the  grain  or 
pores  of  the  wood,  and  gives  a  hard  surface  that  can 
be  dulled  without  rubbing  off  the  stain. 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


tgl 


Refinishing  Oak  Doors  that  are  Badly  Weather- 
Stained.  —If  possible,  take  the  doors  off  the  hinges  and 
lay  them  down  flat  on  some  trusses  or  boxes,  and 
remove  the  old  varnish  with  ammonia  or  a  mixture  of 
2  parts  strong  ammonia  and  I  part  of  turpentine  and 
benzine,  using  a  stubby  brush  to  get  into  the  outwork 
and  about  the  mouldings.  When  all  the  varnish  has 
been  removed,  dope  over  stained  portions  with  a 
strong  oxalic  acid  solution,  and  see  whether  you  can¬ 
not  bleach  the  wood  by  that  operation.  If  this  will 
not  work,  }'ou  have  to  resort  to  staining.  Use  raw 
sienna  for  light  effect,  and,  after  staining,  use  paste 
wood  filler,  colored  to  match  the  stain.  Then  proceed 
as  you  would  on  new  work.  If  the  light  stain  does 
not  hide  the  weather  stains,  you  will  be  obliged  to  use 
a  darker  stain-and  darker  filler. 

Coloring  Wood  Clear  Through.. — All  the  sap  is  expelled 
and  the  log  is  then  treated  with  chemicals,  and  the 
color  or  colors  are  pressed  into  the  wood.  Any  shade 
desired  can  be  obtained,  and,  in  fact,  several  colors 
can  be  merged  one  into  the  other,  producing  a  very 
beautiful  effect.  On  cutting  up  the  samples  we 
received,  we  found  that  the  color  was  evenly  dis¬ 
tributed  all  through  the  fibers,  the  grain  of  the  wood 
giving  a  very  pleasing  effect,  especially  when  polished. 
The  wood,  it  is  claimed,  dries  sooner  than  by  ordinary 
seasoning,  and  it  can  also  be  rendered  fireproof  by 
adding  special  chemicals.  Of  course,  painting  is  done 
away  with,  so  that  the  natural  structure  of  the  wood 
is  seen  to  better  advantage  than  when  painted  in 
the  prdinary  way.  The  coloring  is,  we  understand, 
free  from  arsenic  and  quite  harmless;  the  colors  do 
not  fade,  and,  of  course,  cannot  be  worn  off  by  rub¬ 
bing,  etc. 


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1Q2 

Cleaning  Polished  Wood. — A  good  encaustic,  which 
will  clean  and  polish  at  the  same  time,  may  be  made 
from  wax,  sal  soda  and  any  good  soap.  The  wax  and 
soap  should  be  shaved  and  dissolved  in  boiling  water 
Stir  frequently  and  add  the  soda.  Put  the  mixture  in 
something  which  may  be  closely  covered,  and  stir 
constantly  until  cool.  This  may  be  applied  to  floors, 
furniture,  marbles,  tiles,  bricks,  etc.  It  will  remove 
ink  from  polished  surfaces.  The  French  use  white  wax 
on  white  marbles,  but  this  is  not  absolutely  necessary. 

Finishing  Hardwood. — If  it  is  open-grained  wood  I 
should  first  fill  it  with  paste  filler,  then  I  would  give  it 
a  coat  of  shellac,  and  after  that  I  would  bring  it  up 
with  a  first-class  varnish. 

It  would  be  all  right  to  finish  it  all  in  shellac  if  it 
could  be  kept  from  moisture,  but  wherever  a  drop  of 
water  touches  a  shellac  finish  it  will  turn  white.  And 
just  as  like  as  not  the  mistress  will  set  the  servants  to 
wiping  up  the  hardwood  finish  with  a  damp  cloth. 
Now  a  good  varnish  will  stand  it,  but  shellac  won’t. 
But  the  best  way  to  clean  furniture  and  hardwood 
work  is  to  use  crude  oil — only  a  very  little  of  it — and 
then  wipe  it  off  thoroughly  with  cotton  waste  or 
cheesecloth.  The  latter  is  preferable  because  it  has 
no  lint  to  catch  on  the  woodwork,  although  if  you  rub 
it  dry  enough  with  cotton  waste  you  can  rub  off  any 
lint  that  may  be  left.  The  crude  oil  acts  as  a  varnish 
renewer  as  well  as  a  cleaner.  But  if  it  is  not 
thoroughly  wiped  off  with  plenty  of  elbow  grease  it 
will  catch  the  dirt  and  look  pretty  bad.  Crude  oil  is 
a  good  thing,  provided  you  don’t  use  too  much  of  it, 
and  then,  again,  provided  you  don’t  leave  it  on. 

Making  Paste  Wood  Fillers.  —  Paste  fillers  for  hard 
woods  are  made  from  any  of  the  following  materials, 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER  193 

or  a  combination  of  these:  silex  or  silica,  terra  alba, 
whiting,  china  clay,  starch,  rye  flour,  and  sometimes 
barytes.  Silex  or  terra  alba  will,  on  drying,  give  the 
least  discoloration  to  the  wood.  The  pigment  should 
be  of  impalpable  fineness  and  intimately  mixed  to  a 
stiff  paste  with  one-third  each  of  pale  linseed  oil,  pale 
gold  size  japan  and  turpentine.  This  paste  may  be 
either  run  through  a  mill  or  be  given  a  very  thorough 
mixing,  and  to  test  it  for  quality  it  should  be  thinned 
with  turpentine  to  the  consistency  of  a  varnish,  applied 
with  a  varnish  brush  to  open-grained  wood,  preferably 
oak,  allowed  to  set  for  about  twenty  to  thirty  minutes, 
and  the  surplus  filler  removed  by  wiping  across  the 
grain  in  the  usual  manner.  After  twenty-four  to 
thirty-six  hours,  the  surface  should  be  lightly  sand¬ 
papered  and  a  good,  flowing  coat  of  rubbing  varnish 
applied,  which,  when  fairly  well  set,  should  not  show 
any  pitting  or  pin  holes.  Should  it  pit,  however,  or 
show  pin  holes  or  needle  points,  the  filler  is  defect¬ 
ive  in  binding  properties,  and  the  portion  of  japan 
should  be  increased,  with  a  corresponding  decrease  in 
the  proportion  of  turpentine.  The  linseed  oil  and  the 
gold  size  japan  must  be  of  good  body,  and  if  corn¬ 
starch  or  rye  flour  is  used  in  connection  with  silex  or 
silica,  the  proportions  should  be  about  one  of  the 
former  to  five  of  the  latter  by  weight. 

Filler  for  White  Ash.— -As  white  ash  is  a  very  porous 
wood,  it  should  be  treated  with  an  extra  light  mineral 
paste  wood  filler,  made  from  clean  silex,  mixed  with  2 
parts  bleached  linseed  oil,  3  parts  pale  japan  gold  size 
and  1  part  turps,  to  stiff  paste  and  thinned  for  use 
with  turpentine  to  the  consistency  of  medium-bodied 
varnish.  When  dry  and  hard  the  surface  should  be 
smooth  sandpapered  and  given  a  coat  of  white  shellaf 


194 


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varnish,  after  which  it  may  be  finished  with  rubbing 
varnish,  that  may  be  rubbed  and  polished  in  the  ordinary 
way. 

Good  Wood  Finish. — Richness  of  effect  may  be 
gained  in  decorative  woodwork  by  using  woods  of 
different  tone,  such  as  amaranth  and  amboyna,  by 
inlaying  and  veneering.  The  Plungarian  ash  and 
French  walnut  afford  excellent  veneers,  especially  the 
burs  or  gnarls.  In  varnishing,  the  varnishes  used  can 
be  toned  down  to  match  the  wood,  or  be  made  to 
darken  it,  by  the  addition  of  coloring  matters.  The 
patented  preparations,  known  as  “wood  fillers,”  are 
prepared  in  different  colors  for  the  purpose  of  pre¬ 
paring  the  surface  of  wood  previous  to  the  varnishing. 
They  fill  up  the  pores  of  the  wood,  rendering  the 
surface  hard  and  smooth.  For  polishing  mahogany, 
walnut,  etc.,  the  following  is  recommended :  Dissolve 
beeswax  by  heat  in  spirits  of  turpentine  until  the 
mixture  becomes  viscid ;  then  apply,  by  a  clean  cloth, 
and  rub  thoroughly  with  a  flannel  or  cloth.  A  common 
mode  of  polishing  mahogany  is  by  rubbing  it  first  with 
linseed  oil,  and  then  with  a  cloth  dipped  in  very  fine 
brickdust ;  a  good  gloss  may  also  be  produced  by 
rubbing  with  linseed  oil,  and  then  holding  trimmings 
cr  shavings  of  the  same  material  against  the  work  in 
the  lathe.  Glass-paper,  followed  by  rubbing,  also  gives 
a  good  luster. 

There  are  various  means  of  toning  or  darkening 
woods  for  decorative  effect,  such  as  logwood,  lime, 
brown  soft  soap,  dyed  oil,  sulphate  of  iron,  nitrate  of 
silver  exposed  to  sun’s  rays,  carbonate  of  soda, 
bichromate  and  permanganate  of  potash,  and  other 
alkaline  preparations  are  all  used  for  darkening  woods. 
The  last  three  are  specially  recommended.  The 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


195 


solution  is  applied  by  dissolving  I  ounce  of  the  alkali 
in  2  gills  of  boiling  water,  diluted  to  the  required 
tone.  The  surface  is  saturated  with  a  sponge  or 
flannel,  and  immediately  dried  with  soft  rags.  The 
carbonate  i?  used  for  dark  woods.  Oil  tinged  with 
rose  madder  may  be  applied  to  hardwoods  like  birch, 
and  a  red  oil  is  prepared  from  soaked  alkanet  root  in 
linseed  oil.  The  grain  of  yellow  pine  can  be  brought 
out  by  two  or  three  coats  of  japan  much  diluted  with 
turpentine,  and  afterwards  oiled  and  rubbed.  To  give 
mahogany  the  appearance  of  age,  lime  water  used 
before  oiling  is  a  good  plan.  In  staining  wood,  the 
best  and  most  transparent  effect  is  obtained  by 
repeated  light  coats  of  the  same.  For  oak  stain  a 
strong  solution  of  oxalic  acid  is  employed;  for 
mahogany,  dilute  nitrous  acid.  A  primary  coat,  or  a 
coat  of  wood  fillers,  is  advantageous.  For  mahogany 
stains  the  following  are  given:  2  ounces  of  dragons’ 
blood  dissolved  in  I  quart  of  rectified  spirits  of  wine, 
well  shaken;  or  raw  sienna  in  beer,  with  burnt  sienna 
to  give  the  required  tone;  for  darker  stairjs  boil  y 
pound  of  madder  and  2  ounces  of  logwood  chips  in  T 
gallon  of  water,  and  brush  the  decoction  while  hot 
over  the  wood.  When  dry,  paint  with  a  solution  of  2 
ounces  of  potash  in  i  quart  of  v/ater.  A  solution  of 
permanganate  of  potash  forms  a  rapid  and  excellent 
brown  stain. 

Easy  Method  of  Finishing  Woodwork. — French  polish¬ 
ing  as  a  means  of  finishing  furniture  and  woodwork  is 
generally  regarded  as  a  most  tedious  operation,  owing 
to  the  number  of  solutions  to  be  used  on  work  that  is 
built  up  of  various  kinds  of  wood,  in  bringing  it  up  to 
uniform  color,  and  in  polishing  it  so  as  to  bring  out 
and  reflect  to  the  fullest  extent  the  markings  or  figure 


196 


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of  the  wood.  On  high-grade  goods,  with  a  bright, 
lustrous,  level  finish  this  is  so.  Yet  much  furniture  is 
not  of  high-grade  finish,  so  far  as  the  polisher 
is  concerned;  for  instance,  bedroom  furniture  that  is 
stained  green  is  rarely  finished  out  extra  bright,  and 
the  same  may  be  said  of  fumed  oak  goods  and  many 
American  organs.  In  fact,  some  goods  look  far  bettei 
with  a  faintly  lustrous  polished  surface  than  if  finished 
out  very  bright,  especially  if  the  surface  is  at  all 
uneven  or  badly  cleaned  up.  A  process  of  finishing 
known  as  “dry  shining”  strikes  a  medium  between 
high-grade  finish  and  simple  spirit  varnishing.  In  the 
crudest  form  of  this  process  the  work  is  simply  oiled 
and  a  wet  rubber  of  polish  applied  all  over,  not 
sufficient  being  used  to  fill  the  grain,  but  just  enough 
to  kill  the  oil.  This  treatment  is  generally  considered 
good  enough  for  the  insides  of  drawers,  cupboards, 
etc.,  the  object  being  to  remove  an  unfinished 
appearance  and  to  prevent  the  surface  getting  as  dirty 
as  it  otherwise  might.  From  this  better  degrees  of 
finish  may  be  reached.  The  work  may  be  oiled,  filled 
in,  one  or  more  rubbers  of  polish  laid  on  just  to  fill 
up  the  grain,  and  then  an  even  coat  of  spirit  varnish 
applied.  If  the  articles  are  of  white  wood,  they  may 
be  stained  to  imitate  some  choicer  wood  before 
oiling;  and  if  the  goods  are  likely  to  be  subject  to 
hard  wear,  the  coating  of  spirit  varnish  may  be 
omitted,  the  polish  being  worked  out  fairly  dry  to 
ensure  the  removal  of  all  oil;  then  apply  a  coat  of 
oak  or  painter’s  varnish,  which,  however,  gives  a 
bright  surface  when  dry,  and  is  merely  mentioned  as 
a  means  of  obtaining  a  bright  finish  with  the  minimum 
of  trouble. 

Egg-shell  finish  also  does  not  require  the  trouble- 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


*97 


some  operation  of  spiriting  out.  Here  the  work  is 
brought  up  to  a  stage  nearly  approaching  that  for 
spiriting,  but  the  surface  of  polish  when  hard  is  dulled 
by  rubbing  or  brushing  with  fine-grade  pumice-stone 
powder  or  flour  emery,  in  which  condition  it  may  be 
left.  If  a  gloss  instead  of  a  shine  is  preferred,  the 
wood  should  have  a  smart  rubbing  of  beeswax  and 
turps.  Black  work  has  a  specially  chaste  appearance 
thus  finished,  and  the  black  stain  of  logwood  and 
iron  solution  may  be  used,  aniline  spirit  black  being 
employed  for  imparting  density  of  color  to  pale 
shellac  polish.  If  it  is  not  convenient  to  use  varnish, 
and  a  simple  solution  of  shellac  in  spirits  (4  ounces 
orange  shellac  dissolved  in  I  pint  methylated  spirit) 
is  the  only  solution  at  hand,  a  passable  finish  may  still 
be  gained  by  enclosing  the  pad  in  a  piece  of  soft  rag 
and  finishing  out  by  working  it  in  straight  lines,  after 
a  body  has  been  put  on  without  a  covering.  When 
the  articles  must  be  stained,  it  will  be  found  more 
economical  to  buy  the  stains  ready-made  if  only  a 
small  quantity  is  required.  Dry  shining  has  at  least 
the  merit  of  building  up  a  surface  that  can  be  taken  in 
hand  again  and  French  polished. 

Metallization  of  Wood. — Some  artisans  in  Germany 
have  succeeded  in  turning  to  practical  account  the 
recently  devised  process  by  which  wood  is  made  to 
take  on  some  of  the  special  characteristics  of  metal, 
that  is,  the  surface  becomes  so  hard  and  smooth  as  to 
be  susceptible  of  a  high  polish,  and  may  be  treated 
with  a  burnisher  of  either  glass  or  porcelain;  the 
appearance  of  the  wood  being  then  in  every  respect 
that  of  polished  metal,  having,  in  fact,  the  semblance 
of  a  metallic  mirror,  but  with  this  peculiar  and 
advantageous  difference,  namely,  that,  unlike  metal, 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


198 

it  is  unaffected  by  moisture.  To  reach  this  result  the 
wood  is  steeped  in  a  bath  of  caustic  alkali  for  two  or 
three  days,  according  to  its  degree  of  permeability,  at 
a  temperature  of  between  164°  and  197°  Fahr. ;  it  is 
then  placed  in  a  second  bath  of  hydrosulphate  of 
calcium,  to  which  a  concentrated  solution  of  sulphur  is 
added,  after  some  twenty-four  or  thirty-six  hours;  the 
third  bath  is  one  of  acetate  of  lead,  at  a  temperature 
of  from  950  to  12 2°,  and  in  this  latter  the  wood  is 
allowed  to  remain  from  thirty  to  fifty  hours.  After 
being  subjected  to  a  thorough  drying  it  is  in  a  con¬ 
dition  for  being  polished  with  lead,  tin  or  zinc,  as  may 
be  desired,  finishing  the  process  with  a  burnisher,  when 
the  wood  apparently  becomes  a  piece  of  shining, 
polished  metal. 

How  to  Tone  Down  New  Mahogany,  Oak,  etc. — In 

making  repairs  to  furniture,  it  usually  happens  that 
the  new  wood  is  considerably  lighter  in  tone  than  the 
old,  and  ordinary  stains  will  not  match  it  so  as  to  give 
satisfaction.  This  can  be  done  easily,  however,  by 
means  of  a  solution  of  bichromate  of  potash.  To 
make  this,  purchase  a  cent’s  worth  of  the  chemical, 
and  placing  it  in  an  ordinary  medicine  bottle,  fill  up 
with  water  and  shake  until  dissolved.  To  use  the 
solution,  rub  a  small  quantity  on  the  wood  to  be 
darkened,  and  await  results.  If  not  dark  enough,  give 
another  coat.  It  dries  in  a  few  minutes,  and  can  be 
sandpapered  after,  as  it  is  not  a  surface  stain,  but  a 
chemical  one.  By  a  judicious  use  of  the  above 
solution  it  is  easy  to  match  old  work  of  any  description, 
so  that  the  new  and  old  cannot  be  distinguished  from 
each  other. 

Spirit  Varnish  for  Violins. — Spirit  varnish  is  difficult 
to  apply  evenly,  owing  to  its  drying  so  quickly.  The 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


199 


color  generally  appears  streaky.  In  any  case,  no 
shellac  should  be  used  in  the  varnish,  as  shellac  is  too 
hard.  A  good  spirit  varnish  is  made  as  follows: 
First  size  the  violin  with  a  mixture  of  3  parts  of  best 
copal  varnish  and  1  part  of  turpentine,  applied  hot 
with  a  rag,  and  well  rubbed  in.  Color  y2  pint  of 
alcohol  with  turmeric  and  a  little  red  sanders  added  to 
take  away  the  greenish  tinge.  Dissolve  2  ounces  of 
gum  sandarach  (juniper)  in  y2  pint  of  alcohol.  Put 
the  two  half-pint  mixtures  together,  and  add  2  table¬ 
spoonfuls  of  Venice  turpentine  and  2  ounces  of  white 
shellac.  When  dissolved,  filter  through  cotton  wool. 

Putting  Transfers  on  Coach  Panels. — The  method  of 
transferring  crests  and  monograms  to  the  panels  of 
coaches,  etc.,  is  as  follows:  Cover  carefully  the  face 
of  the  design  (that  is,  the  colored  or  printed  side)  with 
a  thin,  smooth  coat  of  gold  size  mixed  with  two  or 
three  drops  of  varnish,  being  careful  to  cover  all  parts 
that  are  to  be  transferred.  Let  the  gold  size  coating 
become  thoroughly  tacky  or  sticky,  then  lay  the  design 
face  downward  on  the  panel  to  be  decorated,  and  roll 
it  down  smoothly  with  a  rubber  roller,  pressing  out  all 
air  bubbles.  When  the  adhesive  has  got  quite  dry, 
thoroughly  soak  the  paper  with  water  by  means  of  a 
sponge,  then  gently  peel  off  the  paper  from  one 
corner.  Sponge  the  surface  composition  off  the 
panel,  and  when  the  design  is  quite  dry,  apply  a 
finishing  coat  of  varnish.  Transfers  can  also  be  applied 
without  coating  them  with  gold  size,  if  the  panels 
have  been  recently  varnished,  and  have  a  good  tack 
(that  is  to  say,  when  the  varnish  is  sticky  ,  as  the 
design  will  then  adhere  by  gentle  pressure. 

Paint  for  Blackboards. — The  best  blackboard  paint  is 
made  by  moistening  4  ounces  dry  lampblack  with 


200 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


alcohol,  rubbing  it  out  with  a  spatula,  gradually 
adding  I  quart  of  shellac  varnish,  and  stirring  into 
this  3  ounces  flour  of  pumice  and  3  ounces  finely 
pulverized  rotten  stone;  then  straining  through  a  fine 
sieve  or  strainer  to  break  up  any  lumps  that  may  have 
formed.  This  is  applied  quickly  to  the  bare  wood,  so 
that  no  laps  are  formed,  and  in  a  day  or  so  a  second 
coat  may  be  applied,  and  after  standing  a  day  or  two 
longer  may  be  haired  or  mossed. 

Ebonizing. — Apply  to  the  wood,  by  means  of  a  brush 
or  sponge,  a  solution  of  hydrochloric  aniline  dissolved 
in  water,  to  which  has  been  added  a  little  protochlo¬ 
ride  of  copper.  When  this  coating  has  dried,  apply 
similarly  a  solution  of  bichromate  of  potash  dissolved 
in  water.  After  this  process  has  been  repeated  two, 
or  at  the  most  three,  times,  the  wood  will  assume  a 
clear,  full,  durable  black  color,  which  is  affected 
neither  by  the  action  of  light  nor  dampness. 

Polishing  Boxwood  Draughtmen.  — The  cheaper  class  of 
draughtmen  are  simply  coated  with  a  good  quality 
spirit  varnish,  but  high-grade  goods  are  polished  in  the 
lathe.  The  polish  that  is  used  and  the  method  of 
applying  the  polish  differ  slightly  from  the  method 
that  is  employed  in  polishing  flat  surfaces.  A  bright 
finish  on  both  sides  and  edges  is  only  obtained  after 
several  handlings,  the  chief  difficulty  being  the 
manipulation  in  the  early  stages,  such  as  the  provision 
of  suitable  chucks,  the  avoidance  of  the  use  of  glass- 
paper,  and  the  knack  of  using  the  polish  so  that  it 
will  not  clog  up  the  finer  grooves.  If  ordinary  French 
polish  is  used,  it  should  not  be  applied  with  new 
wadding;  a  wad  made  from  a  rubber  that  has  been  used 
on  other  work  should  be  employed,  so  that  there  may 
be  less  risk  of  loose  fluff  sticking  to  the  work  while  the 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


201 


polishing  is  being  done.  The  wad  would  not  require 
the  rag  covering  that  is  usual  on  flat  surfaces.  If  a 
lathe  is  not  available,  very  good  results  could  be 
obtained  by  using  polish  for  sealing  up  the  pores  of 
the  wood  and  forming  a  smooth  foundation,  and  then 
applying  carefully  a  coating  of  good  quality  clear 
spirit  varnish.  Black  goods  should  be  stained  first 
with  French  black  water  stain,  and  the  polishing  done 
with  black  polish.  White  polish  made  from  bleached 
shellac,  or  a  transparent  polish,  should  be  used  in 
preference  to  polish  that  is  made  from  orange  or  lemon 
shellac. 

Softening  Putty. — To  soften  putty  that  has  become 
hard  by  exposure,  so  as  to  remove  it  easily  from  a 
sash,  take  I  pound  of  pearlash  and  3  pounds  of  quick- 
stone  lime;  slake  the  lime  in  water,  then  add  the 
pearlash,  and  make  the  whole  of  about  the  consistency 
of  paint;  apply  it  to  both  sides  of  the  glass,  and  let  it 
remain  for  twelve  hours,  when  the  putty  will  be  so 
softened  that  the  glass  may  be  taken  out  of  the  frame 
with  the  greatest  facility. 

Bruises  in  Wood. — To  take  out  bruises  in  furniture, 
wet  the  part  with  warm  water;  double  a  piece  of  brown 
paper  five  or  six  times,  soak  it,  and  lay  it  on  the  place; 
apply  on  that  a  hot  flatiron  till  the  moisture  is 
evaporated.  If  the  bruise  be  not  gone,  repeat  the 
process.  After  two  or  three  applications,  the  dent  or 
bruise  will  be  raised  level  with  the  surface.  If  the 
bruise  be  small,  merely  soak  it  with  warm  water,  and 
apply  a  red-hot  poker  very  near  the  surface;  keep  it 
continually  wet,  and  in  a  few  moments  the  bruise  will 
disappear. 

Wood  Stains. — The  following  have  been  published  by 
a  German  paper  as  formulae  for  some  wood  stains, 


202 


THE  UP-TO-DATE 


which  may  be  put  up  in  a  dry  form,  and  when  wanted 
for  use  may  be  readily  dissolved  in  water:  Oak  wood 
5  kg.  of  Cassel  brown,  .5  kg.,  of  potash,  and  10  kg.  of 
rain-water,  boiled  together  for  an  hour,  the  whole 
strained  through  a  linen  cloth,  and  the  clear,  dark- 
colored  liquid  boiled  to  a  syrupy  consistency.  Walnut 
wood:  A  decoction  of  Cassel  brown,  3  kg.;  potash,  .3 
kg.;  and  water,  7  kg.;  the  whole  strained  through 
linen,  and  during  evaporation  to  syrup  2.5  kg.  of 
extract  of  logwood  added.  Mahogany:  A  decoction 
of  extract  of  Brazil  wood,  3  kg.;  potash,  .25  kg.,  and 
water,  3  kg.;  to  which,  before  evaporating  to  syrup, 
150  gr.  of  eosine  are  added.  Ebony:  5  kg.  of  extract 
of  logwood,  boiled  with  11  kg.  of  water,  and,  when 
near  the  syrupy  state,  300  gr.  of  iron  nitrate  added; 
evaporated  to  a  syrup  under  constant  stirring.  All 
the  above  stains  are  brought  into  a  dry  condition  by 
running  the  respective  syrups  into  trays  of  sheet  iron, 
with  low  rims,  in  which  the  syrup  hardens,  and  is 
afterward  broken  up  and  ground. 

It  is  often  desirable  to  retain  the  grain  of  the  natural 
wood  exposed  to  view,  at  the  same  time  to  preserve 
its  surface  from  decay  and  give  it  a  more  beautiful 
appearance;  this  is  done  either  by  polishing  or 
varnishing.  To  varnish  such  woods  a  little  skill  is 
required  to  obtain  a  really  good  gloss,  smooth  as 
glass,  upon  its  surface.  All  roughness  should  be 
carefully  removed,  being  particular  not  to  leave  any 
marks,  especially  across  the  grain,  of  the  sandpaper 
or  other  material  used  in  smoothing,  and  the  work 
should  be  afterwards  well  sized,  either  with  gelatine 
or  good  glue  size.  This  size  is  to  prevent  the 
absorption  of  the  varnish  in  soft  places,  and  to  obtain 
a  more  even  gloss,  Sizing  sometimes  has  a  tendency 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


203 


to  raise  the  grain  of  the  wood,  more  particularly  of 
soft  wood,  especially  if  applied  warm.  Use  oak 
varnish. 

Aniline  Dyes. — Aniline  dyes  are  of  two  kinds,  one 
dissolving  in  water,  the  other  in  spirits.  As  they  have 
a  tendency  to  fade  in  the  light,  the  water  dyes  are 
preferable,  as  they  can  be  mixed  with  a  little  vinegar, 
this  greatly  hindering  the  fading  out  process.  To  dis¬ 
solve  in  spirits,  use  a  spirit  varnish,  such  as  painters 
use.  No  definite  amount  necessary  to  stain  varnish 
can  be  given,  and  it  will  be  necessary  to  experiment 
with  it. 


6^L/^.  7V^. 


>, 


*^r  - 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


INDEX  TO  PART  ONE 


A. 

American  woods,  12 
Apple  wood,  15 
A  patent  glue-pot,  47 
A  diagram  of  planes,  86 

B. 

Bevel  dovetailing,  31 
Bevel  scrapers,  71 
Blind  nailing,  96 

C. 

Characteristics  of  woods,  13 
Carving  woods,  15 
Construction,  40 
Clamping  veneers,  42 
Cauls,  51 

Cross-cut  saws,  77 

D. 

Details  of  wainscot,  18 
Drawing  spiral  baluster,  21 
Dovetailing,  22 
Dovetailing,  plain,  23 
Dovetail  pins,  25 
Dovetail  mortises,  25 
Dovetailing  tap,  27 
Dovetailing,  miter,  29 
Dovetailing,  bevel,  31 
Daniels  planer  work,  34 
Doors,  35 
Doors,  wedges,  42 
Diagrams  for  veneer,  57 
Dry  material  for  work,  60 
Diagrams  of  scraper,  69 
Diagram  of  cutting  edge,  70 
Defective  sharpening  of  scrap¬ 
er,  72 

Dovetailing  saw,  78 
Determining  pitch  of  saw  teeth, 
83 

Direction  of  grain  in  planes,  85 
Diagrams  of  cutting  pitches,  91 
Diagrams  for  blind  nailing,  97 


E. 

Elevation  and  section  of  oak 
wainscot,  19 

Equipment  for  making  hard¬ 
wood  doors,  36 

F. 

Flatting  work,  49 
File-sharpening  a  scraper,  69 
Files  and  rasps,  74 
Filing  a  saw,  78 
Fixing  planes,  87 

G. 

Glued  up  stuff  for  doors,  36 
Glue-pot,  patent,  37 
Gluing  horse,  37 
Gluing  frame,  38 
Gluing  up  stuff  for  ■  general 
work,  39 

Gluing  up  joints,  46 

H. 

Hardwoods  generally,  16 
Hardwood  wainscot,  17 
How  to  use  a  scraper,  63 
How  to  hold  a  scraper,  64 
How  to  sharpen  a  scraper,  65 
Holding  a  scraper,  67 
Handled  scraper,  72 
How  to  use  sandpaper,  74 
Hand  saws,  77 
How  to  file  a  saw,  80 
Hag’s  tooth,  93 
How  to  set  a  plane  iron,  93 
How  to  sharpen  plane  irons  on 
oilstone,  95 

I. 

Introduction,  7 
Inserting  plane  irons,  89 

J. 

Jointing,  50 
Jack  planes,  85 


11 


INDEX  TO  PART  ONE 


L. 

Laying  out  dovetailing,  23 
Lap  dovetailing,  27 
Laying  out  saw  teeth,  83 
Laying  hold  of  smoothing  plane, 
88 

M. 

Miter  dovetailing,  30 
Mitered  splay  dovetailing,  32 
Moulded  panels,  42 
Mortising  doors,  43 
Mortising  tools,  44 
Metal  cauls,  52 

Method  of  veneering  columns  ,56 
Making  saw  teeth  uniform 
length,  82 

Method  of  sighting  iron  in 
planes,  88 

P. 

Preface,  5 
Planer  work,  34 
Preparation  for  veneering,  48 
Polish  for  scraper,  65 
Patent  scraper,  72 
Planes  generally,  84 
Planes— how  to  use,  86 
Pitch  of  plane  irons,  91 

R. 

Remarks  on  veneering,  48 
Round  corner  scraper,  62 
Rules  for  scraper  sharpening,  70 
Round  and  hollow  scrapers,  73 
Rasps  and  files,  74 
Rip  saws,  76 

Regulating  the  saw  teeth,  82 

S. 

Spiral  baluster  or  newel,  21 
Section  and  elevation  of  oak 
wainscot,  19 

Secret  lap  dovetailing,  28 
Surplus  glue,  rubbing  out,  45 


Sizing  up  work  for  gluing,  48 
Scrapers,  61 

Scrapers  with  handles,  61 
Saw  plate  scrapers,  62 
Sharpening  a  scraper,  64 
Sharpening  on  oilstone,  68 
Sharpening  by  using  a  file,  69 
Sandpaper  blocks,  74 
Saws  for  hardwood,  75 
Saw  teeth,  78 
Setting  a  saw,  79 
Sharpening  tenon  saws,  81 
Squaring  over  saw  teeth,  83 
Smoothing  planes,  87 
Sighting  plane  iron,  88 
Setting  in  plane  iron,  89 
Stones  for  sharpening  plane 
iron,  94 

Secret  nailing,  96 
T. 

The  better  woods  to  make  use 
of,  16 

The  choice  of  glue,  45 
Tenon  saws,  78 
Trying  planes,  86 

V. 

Veneers,  40 
Veneering,  41 
Veneering  by  cauls,  51 
Veneering  round  and  tapering 
columns,  55 

Veneering  small  work,  58 
Veneering  beveled  picture 
frames,  59 

Varieties  of  scrapers,  73 

W. 

Wood  discussed,  10 
Woods  of  various  kinds,  12 
Wedged  doors,  42 
Wood  scrapers,  61 
Wood  planes,  86 


i 


HARDWOOD  FINISHER 


INDEX  TO  PAET  TWO 


A. 

Ash  stain,  59 

Another  polish  recipe,  75 
A  good  polish,  76 
A  polish  that  will  stand  water, 
76  • 

A  French  polish  reviver,  77 
Antique  oak,  94 
Another  method  of  darkening 
oak,  119 

Austrian  oak,  123 
An  egg-shell  finish,  141 
A  polished  finish,  141 
Ash  wood,  148 

A  method  of  finishing  ash,  149 
A  method  of  staining  wood,  157 
A  brown  stain,  158 
A  dark  dye,  159 
A  fine  yellow  dye,  161 
A  fine  blue  dye,  161 
A  bright  yellow  dye,  161 
Applying  the  size,  176 
Aniline  dyes,  203 

B. 

Black,  26 
Brazil  wood,  27 
Blackboard  wash,  29 
Blue,  32 
Brown,  33 

Brushes  for  varnishing,  63 
Brushes  for  flowing,  65 
Bodying  in  and  spiriting  off,  78 
Black  oak,  123 
Black  birch,  131 
Birch  wood,  131 
Beech  wood,  150 
Beech  finishing,  151 
Bright  yellow  dye,  160 
Bright  green  dye,  161 
Bright  red  dye,  161 
Burnish  gilding,  176 
Burnishing,  178 


Bronzing,  180 
Banana  solutions,  181 
Bruises  in  wood,  201 

C. 

China  clay  wood  filler,  10 
Cherry  wood  filler,  14 
Cleaning  off  filling,  18 
Coloring  and  matching,  108 
Cherry,  128 
Cypress,  135 
Cedar,  white,  150 
Composition  for  frame  orna> 
ments,  179 

Coloring  wood  right  through 
191 

Cleaning  polished  wood,  192 

D. 

Dark  mahogany,  44 
Darkening  oak,  47 
Darkening  walnut,  54 
Dead  finish,  77 
Dry  shining,  99 
Dyeing  woods,  159 
Dyeing  blue,  161 
Dyeing  yellow,  161 
Dyeing  green,  162 
Dyeing  red,  162 
Dull  polish  on  stained  white- 
wood,  190 

E. 

Ebonizing,  34 
Egg-shell  finish,  141 
Egg-shell  gloss,  146 
Ebonizing  with  shellac,  153 
Ebonizing  methods,  154 
Estimating  cost  of  floors,  188 
Easy  method  of  finishing  wood¬ 
work,  195 
Ebonizing,  200 


iii 


IV 


INDEX  TO  PART  TWO 


F. 

Filler  for  light  woods,  13 
Filler  for  cherry,  14 
Filler  for  oak,  14 
Filler  for  rosewood,  14 
Filling  with  plaster  of  Paris,  15 
Filler  for  redwood,  17 
Floors,  40 

French  polishing,  66 
First  and  best  recipe,  74 
Finishing  oak,  113 
Fumigated  oak,  116 
Flemish  oak,  122 
Fumigated  oak,  125 
For  removing  polish  and  re- 
staining  oak,  127 
Finishing  black  birch,  131 
Finishing  mahogany,  132 
Finishing  redwood,  141 
For  an  egg-shell  gloss,  141 
For  a  dull  finish,  141 
For  a  polished  finish,  141 
For  a  walnut  finish,  142 
For  mahogany  and  cherry  fin¬ 
ish,  143 

For  rosewood  finish,  143 
For  an  egg-shell  gloss,  146 
For  a  dull  finish,  147 
For  a  polished  finish,  147 
Finishing  maple,  148 
For  a  brown  stain,  157 
For  a  black  dye,  159 
Fine  blue  dye,  161 
Fine  yellow  dye,  161 
Finishing  good  work,  178 
Flooring  generally,  187 
Floor  polish,  190 
Finishing  hardwood,  192 
Filler  for  white  ash,  193 

G. 

Gas  black,  29 
Green  stains,  43 
Gray,  43 
Glaze  polish,  91 
German  finishing,  106 
Golden  oak,  121 
Green  dyes,  162 
Gray  dyes,  164 

Gilding,  bronzing  and  composi- 
164 


Gilding  mirror  frame,  166 
Gilding  furniture,  171 
Gold  size,  173 

Gold  adhering,  to  prevent,  17? 
Gold  wood  finish,  194 

H. 

Hemlock  wood,  151 
Hemlock  finishing,  152 
Hardwood  floors,  183 
How  to  tone  down  new  work, 
198 

I. 

Imitation  oak  stain,  145 
Imitation  mahogany  stain,  145 
Imitation  rosewood  stain,  143 
Imitation  walnut  stain,  145 

L. 

Luxeberry  finish,  23 
Liquid  slating,  29 
Light  mahogany,  44 
Liquid  for  brightening  and  set-- 
ting  colors,  163 
Laying  the  gold,  177 

M. 

Mahogany  stains,  44 
Mahogany,  dark,  44 
Mahogany,  light,  44 
Manufacturers’  polish,  80 
Making  antique  oak,  117 
Mahogany  wood,  147 
Maple  wood,  147 
Matting  or  dead  gold,  178 
Making  paste  wood  fillers,  192 
Metallization  of  wood,  197 

N. 

Next  best  recipe,  75 
New  floors,  187 

O. 

Oil  filling,  11 
Oak  filler,  14 
Oak  wood,  47 

Other  French  polish  recipes,  75 
Oil  finishing  and  dry  shining,  9£ 
Oak,  fumigated,  116 
Oak  staining  generally,  124 


INDEX  TO  PART  TWO 


v 


(Other  woods,  150 
Orange  dyes,  163 
Gil  size,  173 
Oil  gilding,  175 
On  hardwood  floors,  183 

P. 

Picking  sticks,  18 
Picking  brushes,  19 
Purple  stain,  49 
Polishing  wad,  69 
Prepared  spirits,  76 
Polish  for  turners’  work,  77 
Pine  wood,  142 
Pine  finish,  142 
Purple  dyes,  163 
Parchment  size,  173 
Preparing  the  woodwork,  176 
Polishing,  176 

Putting  transfers  on  coach 
panels,  199 

Paint  for  blackboards,  199 
Polishing  boxwood  draught- 
men,  200 

R. 

Rosewood  filler,  14 
Red  stain,  50 
Rubber  for  polishing,  68 
Rules  for  polishing,  73 
Repolishing  and  reviving,  104 
Red  oak,  123 
Regarding  cypress,  135 
Rosewood  generally,  138 
Rosewood  finish,  139 
Redwood,  141 
Red  dyes,  162 
Refinishing  oak  doors,  191 

S. 

Surfacing  finish,  21 
Sizing  work,  24 
Staining  black,  26 
Satin  wood,  52 
Staining  oak  brown,  59 
Shellac  polish,  81 
Styles  of  oak  finish,  120 
Sycamore  wood,  151 
Sycamore  finishing,  151 
Stains  of  all  kinds,  155 


Staining  carved  panels,  158 
Staining  spirit  varnish,  158 
Silver  gray  dye,  164 
Sizes,  173 
Shelled  gold,  179 
Silver  size,  179 

Staining  woodwork  with  acids, 
182 

Stained  floors,  189 

Spirit  varnish  for  violins,  198 

Softening  putty,  201 

T. 

The  finishing  of  various  woods, 

112 

The  rules  for  finishing  oak,  113 
To  darken  oak,  119 
To  finish  cherry,  128 
The  mahogany  stains,  133 
To  manipulate  gold  leaf,  179 

V. 

Varnishing  floors,  41 
Violet  stain,  52 
Varnishing  and  polishing,  59 
Verde  or  green  finish,  123 

W. 

Wood  fillers  and  how  to  use 
them,  7 

Wheeler’s  wood  filler,  8 
Walnut  filler,  No.  1,  13 
Walnut  filler,  No.  2,  13 
Wood  staining  generally,  25 
Walnut  wood,  52 
Walnut  stains,  53 
Wad  for  polishing,  69 
Wax  polishing,  93 
Wax  and  turpentine,  95 
Wax  mixture,  96 
Weathered  oak,  123 
Walnut  finishing  generally,  135 
White  pine  finishing,  142 
White  cedar,  150 
Wood  stains,  201 

Y. 

Yellow  stain,  55 
Yellow  dye,  dark,  161 
Yellow  dye,  bright,  161 


1/  $7 


STEEL  SQUARE 

A  TREATISE  OF  THE  PRAGTSGAL  USES  OF 

By  FRED.  T.  HODGSON,  Architect. 

New  and  up-to-date.  Do  not  mistake  this  edition  for  the  one  published 
over  twenty  years  ago. 

This  is  the  latest  practical  work  on 
the  Steel  Square  and  its  uses  pub- 
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and  easi  y  understood.  Confounding 
terms  and  phrases  have  been  relig¬ 
iously  avoided  where  possible, 
and  everything  in  the  book  has  been 
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of  age,  possessing  ordinary  intelli¬ 
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out  bevels  for  rafters,  braces  and  other 
inclined  work;  also  chapters  on  the 
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and  Distances — very  useful  to  builders 
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the  Square.  Octagon,  Hexagon,  Hip 
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tho  rafters  and  jacks  given.  Chapters 
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Work,  Angle  Corners  and  similar 
work.  The  work  also  contains  a  large  number  of  diagrams,  showing  how 
the  Square  may  be  used  in  finding  Bevels,  Angles ,  Stair  Treads  and  bevel 
cuts  for  Hip,  Valley,  Jack  and  other  Rafters,  besides  methods  for  laying 
out  Stair  Strings,  Stair  Carriages  and  Timber  Structures  generally.  Also 
contains  25  beautiful  halftone  illustrations  of  the  perspective  and  floor  plans 
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The  work  abounds  with  htmdreds  of  fine  illustrations  and  explana¬ 
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Two  large  volumes,  560  pages,  nearly  500  illustrations,  printed  on  a 


superior  quality  of  paper  from  new  large  type. 

Price,  2  Vols.,  cloth  binding . $2.00 

Price,  2  Vols.,  half-leather  binding .  3.00 

Single  Volumes,  Part  I,  cloth .  1  00 

“  ••  Part  I, half- leather .  1.50 

••  ••  Part  II,  cloth . .\ .  1.00 

••  “  Part  II,  one  helf-leather .  1.50 


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FREDERICK  J.  DRAKE  CO. 

PUBLISHERS  OF  SELF-EDUCATIONAL  BOOKS 

CHICAGO,  ILL. 


